Once
by klarolineepiclove
Summary: AU Despite being the golden boy of Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory still felt as if something was missing from his life. When he meets Brooke Stokes, an unlikely friendship started. But when their feelings for each other change, can they survive the trials to co
1. The Meeting

**Once**

Summary: Despite being Quidditch captain, dating a beautiful girl, and being the golden boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Cedric Diggory still felt as if something was missing. When he met Brooke Stokes outside the school library, an unlikely friendship began. And as his feelings for the young painter grew to something more, he finally began to see that she was what was missing. But can their love survive the trials that are to come?

Author's Notes: Ok…I hate author's notes. But they are necessary at times. So…Cedric Diggory should never have died in Goblet of Fire. Totally my opinion. But in my mind, he is alive and well. At this point in the story, I'm not sure if he was ever in the Triwizard tournament—sorry guys…but it's gonna be an AU story. I haven't decided if I'll incorporate it into later chapters or not. So yeah…that gets it out of the way.  
On another note, this is my first Harry Potter fic,and it is Cedric centered. Please be gentle with reviews. Thanks!!

**Once**

**Chapter One**

**The Meeting**

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_Certainly is a waste of time._

This is the thought that crossed Cedric Diggory's mind as he sat in the stands, watching the Quidditch match being played before him. As Slytherin soared past Ravenclaw and scored yet another goal, he shook his head in disgust.

Slytherin was leading, 150-20.

He let out a sigh, watching as his breath came out in a puff of fog in the air, and he pulled his scarf a bit tighter around his neck.

As Hufflepuff Quidditch captain, it was his responsibility to keep an eye on the competition. He didn't, howver, need to sit out in the cold for half an hour to realize that it would be Slytherin his team would play in the next match. He had realized that after the first ten minutes. It was no wonder Marcus Flint had been so cocky the last few Arithmancy classes—he knew his team had learned some new dirty tricks and they had absolutely no trouble displaying them in full.

His gaze snapped back to the game as the two opposing seekers both took a downwards dive, and he muttered a curse a moment later when Draco Malfoy—Slytherin seeker—rose with the Golden Snitch clutched in his outstretched fist. A chorus of cheers and boos erupted from the stands, and Cedric watched as the Slytherin team huddled together in celebration and the Ravenclaws descended from their brooms in defeat.

Running a hand through his already disheveled hair, Cedric rose from his seat and made his way through the grumbling crowd.

As he made his way down the sidelines, he caught the eyes of the Ravenclaw seeker—Cho Chang—and he flinched inwardly at the scowl he received. So the meeting with his four-month long girlfriend would be yet another shouting match.

It seemed they'd had quite a few of those lately.

The relationship with Cho was certainly one of the main causes of Cedric's sleepless nights. He would lie awake wondering when they had switched from being a happy couple to being a discontented one. It seemed to him that their bad days far outnumbered their good.

"Ced! Cedric!"

Looking over, Cedric caught sight of his friend Oliver Wood jogging over to meet him and he couldn't help but smile. Oliver was the Quidditch captain of Gryffindor house, which automatically made him competition. But ever since Cedric had rescued him from a gangly group of Slytherin girls their first year at Hogwarts, the two had been inseparable friends. "Oliver," he yelled in response, waving his arm in the air in greeting. "Did you catch that horrid display out there?"

The expression on Oliver's face answered his question. "Flint's certainly pulling out all the stops, eh? Don't think he fancies losing the Quidditch cup his last year."

Cedric nodded, stuffing his hands into his khaki pockets. "Yeah, we certainly have our work cut out for us the next few weeks." The two walked side by side through the crowd, ignoring the raucous cheers from the Slytherin team as they headed to their locker rooms. "Flint's not going to make it easy."

Oliver grunted in response. "Has he ever?"

Cedric smiled at his friend, then quickly repressed a groan as he caught sight of Cho waiting at the entrance to the locker rooms. "What do you say to a late night game of Wizard Chess, Wood?," he asked, his gaze fixed on the small Asian girl who stood tapping her foot impatiently. "Bloody well might need some serious destruction after what's coming."

Oliver followed his gaze and winced at the severe look of irritation on Cho's face. "She sure is a sour loser, isn't she? I feel a mighty large lover's spat headed your way, mate." His gaze turned, he didn't catch the wince Cedric made at his choice of words. "Yeah, sure. I've got a tutoring session on Charms right now, so just come meet me in the library when you and Cho kiss and make up, eh?" He grinned and winked before slapping Cedric on the arm and jogging away.

Cedric kept his eyes trained on his friends retreating back before taking a deep breath. Turning, he made his way towards his waiting girlfriend, once again thinking that his whole afternoon was still just a waste of time.

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Cedric loosened his tie as he leaned against the pillar flanking the entrance to the library. Cho's disgruntled complaints about his ignorance as of late still echoed in his throbbing head. He closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing against the pain in his temple.

If he had been ignorant lately, the only reason was because Cho had not bothered to share anything with him. Apparently, being a boyfriend meant you were to be a mind reader when it came to your girlfriend's daily routine.

Sighing deeply, Cedric slumped against the pillar. What was wrong? His life was far from horrible. He was Prefect, Head Boy, the pride and joy of the Diggory clan. He had captured the heart of one of the most beautiful girls in school…so why did he suddenly feel that something essential was missing from his life? Why did he feel that his feelings for Cho were not truly as authentic as he led his friends to believe? Did he truly love her? Or was he simply just going through the motions because it was easier than facing the truth.

Shaking his head free of such thoughts, he quickly turned on his heel to head into the library, then faltered when he collided with something. Or, from the sound of surprise it made as it toppled to the floor, some ONE.

Opening his eyes, he looked down into a pair of startled brown eyes. Brown eyes that quickly turned from startled to annoyed. Looking further, he saw that the brown eyes were encased in a heart-shaped face that was framed by long brown hair. The girl was gazing up at him in astonished annoyment, her hands splayed behind her in the fall.

"Don't you watch where you're going?"

Cedric shook his head, realizing suddenly that he had just been standing there for several seconds looking down at the young girl. "Beg your pardon?"

Brown eyebrows arched over her brown eyes. " I said, don't you watch where you're going? You completely ran me over!"

Cedric frowned as he looked around him, seeing several books thrown over the floor, as well as a black backpack laying a few inches from the young girl, its contents strewn about. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention."

The girl ran a hand through her hair. "You think so?" she asked sarcastically.

Bending forward, Cedric extended a hand to her, watching as she eyed it cautiously before taking it in her own and allowing him to pull her to her feet. As she stood to her full height, he saw that she barely reached his chin. Her school robes fell to her calves, and theemblem of the house of Gryffindor was stitched in the upper corner. Pulling his gaze back to her flustered face, he dropped his hand to his side. "I am sorry. My mind was a thousand miles away."

He watched as her gaze searched his face for a millisecond before her expression softened. She shook her head and smiled softly. "It's alright. It could happen to anyone, I guess." She bent down and began gathering her books in her arms, her brown hair falling forward. Cedric quickly followed suit, gathering her backpack and placing its strewn contents back inside. He eyed several paintbrushes as they both straightened, and he quickly placed them inside as well before handing her the backpack. She smiled at him. "Thanks."

Cedric nodded, smiling in return. "Your welcome." He looked at her a moment before continuing. "You're American, aren't you?"

He watched a slight blush crept across her face. "Guess you can't hide that Southern accent, huh?" She smiled. "It's like a giant pink elephant when you're at a school in Europe." She raised a hand and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked back up at him.

"Are you alright, then?" he asked, motioning to the floor. "I'm afraid it sounded like a nasty fall."

The American girl grinned suddenly, displaying two rows of perfectly white teeth. "I'm fine. It's sounded worse than it was. You caught me off guard, is all. What on earth had you so distracted?"

He didn't know if it was her easy smile or the way her voice was softly spoken, but Cedric suddenly had the strongest urge to spill his guts to this girl. To finally tell what had been conflicting him for the past several months; what had kept him awake into the wee hours of the morning as everyone else slept on peacefully. Looking into her face made him feel more comfortable than he had been in a long time. He watched as she waited for his response, and he shook his head, smiling slightly. "Nothing. Just blanked out for a second or two." He extended his hand. "My name's Cedric. Cedric Diggory."

The girl smiled as she shook his hand. "Quidditch captain of Hufflepuff, yes, I know. You're quite alegend in these halls. I'm Brooke Stokes."

Nodding, he withdrew his hand. "I'm afraid I don't know you so well. I haven't seen you around school much."

"Well, that's because you're a seventh year, while I myself am still just a sixth year. I'm pretty sure they keep us separated."

Sixth year Gryffindor. She would be the same year as Cho, which surprised him. Cho always seemed to be friendly with most of the girls in her year. He had never once seen her with this girl. He was sure he would remember those eyes.

"I hope I didn't make you late for anything," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Running you over and all."

The light laugh the left her mouth made him smile. "No, I was just finishing up a tutoring thing before headed back to my dorm. Nothing life or death."

Someone calling her name behind them made them both turn, and Cedric watched as Oliver Wood walked over to them, grinning as he caught sight of him. "Oy, Ced," he said, coming to a stop beside Brooke, a large book clasped in his hands. "I was wondering when you were gonna get here." He glanced over at the brunette at his side, handing her the book in his hands. "You forgot your Charms book, Stokes."

Brooke smiled and took it from him. "Thanks, Oliver. You probably just saved me four hours of freaking out about where I left it."

Cedric looked between the two, a look of surprise on his face. "She's your Charms tutor?" he asked his friend.

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, she's a young one, but she's a miracle worker at Charms. Flitwick is always raving about her during class, how's she's the only sixth year that mastered seventh year charms in her third year." He gently punched the girl playfully on her arm as she blushed madly. "She's a lifesaver, I have to admit." Looking back at Cedric he grinned. "All well on Lover's Lane, mate? Get everything all sorted out."

Cedric grimaced at his reference, glancing over at Brooke to see her smiling at him. He found himself smiling back, at ease. "For the moment, I suppose."

The grin that appeared on his friend's face was one of sheer competition. "Ready to be beaten shamelessly at Wizard's Chess, then? Or are you too worried your failure will ruin your Golden Boy image when it reaches the student population?"

Brooke laughed at this sentence, and pulled her bag strap further up her shoulder. "Oh, that's my cue to exit stage right before the testosterone poisoning gets too much to bear. You Quidditch captains are way to competitive for your own good. I'm going to scram before it gets ugly." She bumped her shoulder against Oliver's. "I'll see you next week, Wood." Looking over at Cedric, she smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Cedric. Finally able to see the guy that so many envy face to face." She laughed softly as she walked around them. "See ya around." She headed off in the direction of Gryffindor common room, and Cedric smiled as he watched her go.

"She's something, ain't she?," he heard Oliver mutter next to him. He turned back to see his friend staring after her as well. "I thought Flitwick was bonkers when he recommended her to me as tutor last year. She was a fifth year alright, but probably should have been a sixth back then. She's got the determination. A bit strange though." He grinned. "Did you know that she's never seen a Quidditch match in all the time she's been here?"

Cedric smiled. "It happens. I nearly forgot that Americans attended Hogwarts. I guess they're few and far between."

Oliver sighed. "It's a shame. If they're anything like Brooke Stokes, there should be many more."

"Are you infatuated, Wood," Cedric asked, laughing quietly.

Oliver shrugged. "I was last year. She's a looker, got to admit that. But I don't think she was interested. She's a sweet girl, though. I don't mind having her around. Reminds me of my sister back home, now that I think about it." He grinned over at him. "Enough bullocks now, Diggory. Prepare to be defeated in the worst way."

Both young men laughed as they headed to the now deserted dining hall, and all the while Cedric kept glancing back over his shoulder, searching for the short figure with long brown hair that he had met just moments ago, and he couldn't help wondering when and if she would ever cross his path again.

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Whew! Alright, the first chapter is up. _Victory music plays in head._ I hope y'all liked it! Constructive criticism, only please. I would like your opinions though. Until next time!!


	2. Easy Conversation

**Once**

Author's Notes: So, I decided that in my world, Cedric didn't get picked for the Triwizard Tournament. So…yeah…it probably won't be mentioned much in this story, but I had to let you guys know. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Two

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Frantic footsteps echoed against the walls as Brooke Stokes raced down the hall.

Once again, she had lost track of time. And, once again, she was incredibly late for Transfiguration.McGonnagel may like her, but Brooke knew there was only so far she could push the older witch with her tardiness.

It's not as if it could be helped, really. Once she put that brush to the canvas, painting was all she knew. The rest of the world faded away—there was no time, no place, no disturbances. There was just the paint and the wonder she felt as she slowly watched her imagination come to life before her eyes.

But as she glanced at her watch with a groan, she quickly concluded that the only thing that would be fading away would be her afternoon once McGonnagel was through with her.

Undoing the ribbon that held her ponytail in place, she shook out her hair as she quickly rounded the corner—

And let out a startled scream as she crashed into a stone pillar.

Or at least, what felt like one.

Fighting for breath, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist, breaking her fall, and she looked up into a startling pair of gray eyes.

"Is this a habit of yours? Crashing into people twice your size?"

It took a moment for Brooke to compose herself before she recognized the voice she had first heard almost three weeks ago. Pulling back slightly, she looked into the smirking face before her, and she found herself giving an embarrassed smile in return.

"Guess I'm the one that wasn't paying attention this time, huh?"

Cedric Diggory only smiled as he set her back on her feet. "You seemed a million miles away."

Brooke glanced at her watch again before she ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "More like a million minutes," she sighed in exasperation. "I'm unbelievably late for McGonnagel's class."

Cedric glanced at his own watch before looking back at her. "Half an hour certainly pushes it. Were you painting all afternoon?"

Brooke nodded and opened her mouth to reply, but snapped it shut the next second. Looking up at him quizzically, she asked, "How did you know that?"

Cedric grinned and reached up to trail his finger along her cheek. He pulled his hand back, revealing his finger to be a dark shade of green. "I also noticed your paintbrushes on our last run-in."

Laughing, Brooke wiped her hand across her face, knowing from her suddenly heated skin that a blush had crept across her cheeks. "Caught red handed," she said. "Or, green handed, I guess." Cedric smiled and she dropped her hand to her side. "I guess I just lost track of time."

Nodding, Cedric glanced over his shoulder to the classroom in question before turning back to her. "Well, there's not much point now. You've missed most of the lesson."

Brooke looked up at him, a half smile on her face. "Oh, really? And what would you suggest I do then, Mr. Diggory?" She watched as his handsome face broke into a grin, and she tried to ignore the fluttering in her chest.

"You could just play hooky with me."

Brooke laughed and arched an eyebrow as she smiled. "Hooky? I thought you were a Prefect."

"Oh, I am. But my afternoon happens to be free and clear, so there is no risk to my reputation at all." He tilted his head towards her, a charismatic grin on his face. "Aren't you a Gryffindor? I thought you were supposed to be fearless."

She laughed again and glanced quickly towards the door to her Transfiguration classroom before returning her gaze to the boy before her. "Okay…I never could resist a challenge like that," she said, grinning. "McGonnagel will chew me out anyway, so I might as well enjoy it while I can." She adjusted the strap of her backpack on her shoulder before she pointed an accusatory finger at him before continuing. "But if I get caught, I'm saying you kidnapped me and are holding me against my will."

Cedric laughed loudly, shaking his head. "I suppose that sounds fair enough." He held out his arm for her to lead the way down the hall. "Shall we?"

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Cedric had to admit that after leaving his Prefect meeting early that morning, he didn't think his afternoon would be spent sitting by the lake with an American girl who was becoming more and more intriguing as the day wore on.

Cedric sat across from Brooke Stokes, both of their robes spread beneath them as makeshift blankets, a bag of Every Flavor Beans between them. What had started as a way to kill a wasted class period had quickly turned into an afternoon of questions and easy conversations.

"Okay, my turn," Brooke said, popping another jelly bean into her mouth. Cedric leaned back on his hands and waited for her question. "Your dad works at the Ministry, right?"

He nodded. "Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

Brooke smiled. "They've all got those mouthful names, don't they?" At his chuckle and nod, she continued. "Well that must be nice. Get the inside scoop, huh?"

Cedric smiled. "Less than you'd think. It doesn't interest me much, though, what he does. I know it's important work, but the Ministry itself just bores me, I'm afraid to say. Compared to Dad's job, I'd much rather prefer my mum's. She's a preschool teacher—for future Hogwart's students, of course. Her job at least seems interesting." Reaching his hand into the bag, he withdrew several beans, cautiously noting their color, before glancing back up at her. "What about your parents?" For an instant, he thought he saw a falter in her easy smile, but it had disappeared just as quickly. She shrugged and dropped her gaze to her lap.

"Last I heard, my mom was still a Muggle-Wizard diplomat, and my dad still owned an advertising company." She looked up to see him frowning slightly, confused. She smiled sheepishly. "We aren't close. Don't really see each other that much, actually."

"Why's that?"

Brooke shrugged again, her brown hair falling over her shoulder, shielding half of her face. "They've never been real…parental. They've actually been on a 'trial seperation' for the last two years. If you ask me, they should just admit it's over and call it quits."

Cedric sat staring at her for a long moment, racking his brain for something to say in return. Finally, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to hear about that. It must be lonely. For you."

Brooke laughed and shook her head. "No, not really. I've got an older brother who kind of stepped in when I was little. He's a lot older than me, a Muggle like my dad. From Dad's first marriage. Aidan's had it all covered for awhile."

Cedric finished chewing his jelly beans before replying. "You're half Muggle?"

The brunette nodded. "Yeah. Forgot to mention that, huh? Part Muggle, part witch…All Brooke, though." She held her hands out at her sides, a sheepish smile on her face again. Laughing softly, she dropped her hands to her lap, grinning. "So, to take a step away from awkward central, how are things going with you and Cho Chang?"

Cedric's sudden coughing fit as he chocked on his mouthful of beans made her laugh loudly, and she waited while he composed himself, eyes still watering.

"That's a step away from awkward?," he rasped out. She smiled. "What makes you think something's going on with Cho?"

Brooke arched her eyebrows. "It's not exactly a secret, Cedric," she said, laughing softly.

Cedric smiled, running a hand through his ruffled hair. "I suppose not," he said. "Uh...I suppose it's…going." He looked up at her, a sigh escaping his lips. "Have you ever just…kept going at something because it was easier than facing the truth of the matter? That your feelings for it had faded, but it had become so routine you couldn't stop?" She nodded, brow furrowed in concern. "Sometimes I feel that's the way it is with Cho. It's just gotten so…difficult."

"Difficult how?," Brooke asked, repositioning her legs beneath her.

"Sometimes it's as if she expects me to be a mind reader. That I should know things there's no way I possibly could unless she had told them to me herself. Which, of course, always leads to an outrageous argument about my insensitivity and callousness."

A doubtful look crossed Brooke's face as he spoke, and her mouth turned up into a slight smile. "I really doubt that you, Cedric Diggory, Head Boy and all around Golden Boy of Hogwarts School, could ever be callous. Insensitive, maybe, everybody is now and then, but callous? I don't think so. Have you tried talking to her?"

"Which then leads to another argument about paranoia, and days of not speaking before she acts as if nothing happened to begin with." He looked at her with an almost pathetic look on his face. "It's getting quite tiresome."

Brooke sighed softly. "It's understandable. But it's also a girl thing." He looked at her in disbelief. "It is! It's a clearly stated rule that we of the female population are allowed constant mood changes, no questions asked."

Cedric laughed at her state-of-fact tone. "I'd like to borrow this rule book of yours, Brooke. It could save me much suffering in the future." He stretched his legs out before him, and watched as Brooke absentmindedly twisted a ring on her index finger. Her brown eyes searched the cloud filled sky, and the breeze lightly rustled her hair. He couldn't help staring. There was just something…fascinating about watching her just then. Seeing her smile as a distant thought crossed her mind, watching her eyes trail the birds as they flew through the sky or various students as they walked past. Watching Brooke Stokes at that moment, he realized, made him feel more at ease than he'd felt all summer.

Her eyes suddenly met his, and she smiled. "What?," she asked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Cedric smiled and shook his head. "Just wishing we'd met sooner. I could have used a friend like you when my name wasn't drawn for the Tournament last year. Or for a million other things. You're certainly something to behold, Brooke Stokes."

She stared at him a moment, her eyes searching his before she smiled. "Naturally. I am one of a kind." They both laughed, and she shoved his foot playfully with her hand. "You're not so bad yourself, Diggory. I'm glad you almost broke my neck." He chuckled and shook his head, glancing at his watch.

"We should probably head back. Supper will start before too long, and I'm to make rounds before then."

They gathered their things in silence, shaking out their robes and slipping them back on before walking towards the castle, side by side. Brooke shifted her back pack on her shoulder as she turned to look at him. "Thanks for the company today, Cedric. It was a nice way to not go to class."

Cedric smiled, glancing her way. "Well, it certainly beat studying for a Potions exam or trying to talk over Cho's yells."

They stopped at the entrance to the dorms and faced each other, Brooke hand on her ancient doorknob, her eyes squinting against the sunlight. "I would try talking to her, Ced," she told me softly, lifting her shoulder in a half shrug. "You know, sometimes all a girl wants is to know that a guy wants them back." Cedric stared at her for a long moment, and she smiled at him and stood on her tiptoes, laying a hand on his shoulder for balance as she placed a kiss on his cheek. Winking at him, she pulled the long wooden door open and made her way inside.

Cedric watched her go for a moment before racing after her. "Brooke!" He watched as she turned to him. He smiled, jogging up to her side. "Don't be such a stranger, alright? Try to run into me more often…without actually running into me." He watched as she smiled and nodded before raising a hand in farewell, heading off towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

He stood in the crowded hallway for a long moment, his eyes trained on the spot the brunette had disappeared, before he too set off for his own common room, her advice and a smile on his face.


	3. Midnight Kisses

**Once**

Author's Notes: Thanks to Katja134 for pointing out that I did not mention this was an AU Story—Cedric does not die, because I personally thought that was heartbreaking…and I kind of need him to be alive for this story. So, thanks, katja134! I appreciate the pointer!!

Chapter Three

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The days at Hogwarts passed by swiftly, and by Halloween, a strong friendship had developed between Brooke and Cedric. At least one afternoon a week was reserved for the two of them, during which they'd simply talk and laugh together. He'd find her in an old art room on the second floor, where he'd sit and watch her paint while he studied, laughing at the fact that even though she tied her long hair up in a ponytail at the top of her head, paint still streaked through the dark brown by the time she was finished.

Some days they would trek out to the empty Quidditch field and fly around, laughing as Cedric tried to teach her the fine points of the game, to which she'd merely arch an eyebrow and make a face at him, explaining that he'd might as well be talking Mermish for the good it was doing.

Cedric's relationship had also improved with Cho, though not by much. Taking Brooke's advice, he simply talked to her during their arguments, listening when she wanted and talking when he felt the time was right. Though they no longer went days without talking, their arguments were still numerous and still revolved around the same things. She smiled at him more often, though, and he even found himself holding her hand tightly in the halls as they walked from class to class. And yet, he still couldn't help the feeling that he was merely living the charade.

His friendship with Brooke, however, remained a hidden fact from Cho. Because the more he thought it through, Cedric couldn't help but falter when he tried to define his relationship with the striking American. No matter how often he told himself over and over again that it was, he couldn't admit that it was simply friendship that existed between them anymore. At least, not to him.

When he though about it, he couldn't pinpoint when his feelings for Brooke had begun to change, but he clearly recalled the night he realized they had.

_It had been the beginning of October, and Cedric had made his way to the familiar art room on the second floor, cradling a wrapped package under his arm. He pushed the door open, smiling as a paint smudged face glanced at him from around the easel in the middle of the room. A small smile appeared on Brooke's face as he made his way towards her, holding the square-shaped package out. Stopping before her, he smiled. "You didn't think I'd forget your birthday, Brooke Stokes?"_

_Brooke smiled and sat her paintbrush next to her wand on the stool before turning to him. Wiping her hands on her paint smeared sweat pants, she looked at him as she took the gift. "You didn't have to get me anything, Ced," she replied, her voice soft and sad. She slid her fingers beneath the wrapping, carefully pulling it back before looking at what lie beneath it._

_Cedric watched as her fingers traced the embossed cover of the book she held in her hands, holding his breath. "My Mum and Dad had a holiday in Paris a few weeks ago, and I asked them to pick it up for me," he said, referring to the book on famous French artwork she held. "I remembered you talking about that museum, how you always wanted to visit it. I thought, if you couldn't walk down its halls, maybe I could bring a part of it to you." He watched her face with bated breath for a reaction, and couldn't help but he startled when she brought a hand quickly to her mouth, stifling a sob as tears spilled down her cheeks. He grasped her shoulders tightly, frowning. "Brooke, if you don't like it, all you have to do is say so," he said, voice peaked with worry. "It was a stab in the dark, to be honest."_

_She sobbed brokenly as she shook her head. "Oh, no, Cedric, it's not that," she cried, clutching the book to her chest. "I love it so much. It's one of the best presents I've ever gotten…I'm so surprised you remembered."_

_Cedric frowned in confusion, dropping his arms and sliding his hands into his pockets. "Then why in Merlin's name are you crying?"_

_Brooke pushed her bangs out of her tear-filled eyes as she looked up at him. "Because you remembered," she said, her voice breaking. "I've only known you two damn months and you remembered my birthday." She blew out a puff of air angrily. "My parents have known me for 17 years and they forgot. Again."_

_Cedric reached a hand out to her, grasping her upper arm as he stared at her, heart breaking. "Oh, Brooke…I'm so sorry." He stood in front of her for a long moment, watching as she sniffled and sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes with the hem of her sweatshirt. He said nothing, just stood watching her. Finally, she looked up at him, her usual sheepish smile on her face._

_"Sorry, Cedric," she laughed. "I don't know what happened."_

_Cedric shook his head, staring at her. "Never apologize for crying to me, Brooke." He cracked a smile. "I've come to realize that the constant mood changes come with the package."_

_Brooke laughed and shoved his shoulder with the heel of her hand playfully. She groaned in frustration, clutching the sides of her head as she walked away from him. She sank to a sitting position next to her easel, slowly stretching out until she was lying flat on her back. Cedric slowly walked towards her, waiting a moment before following suit. He laid his head next to hers, staring up at the ceiling in silence._

_"It's just…horrible. You know?"_

_He looked over at her as her voice pierced the silence._

_"Parents should never forget their kids' birthdays. They forget Aidan's too, you know. Every year. Maybe it's normal," she went on, clasping her hands together across her stomach. "Maybe it's a THING, you know? I mean, your parents have forgotten your birthday, right?" She glanced at him hopefully, and noting his apologetic expression, she sighed. "Yeah…I didn't figure they did. Why would they?" She became silent for a long moment, eyes trained on the ceiling. When she continued, Cedric noticed the profound sadness in her voice. "I really want to ask them why, you know? Why forget my birthday? I mean…could life be so unbelievably busy that they forgot my birthday the last 10 years? But, of course, that would be almost impossible. Considering that I haven't seen or heard from either of them since the end of school last year. What does that say about me?"_

_Cedric stare at her for a long moment, watching as tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill onto her already glistening cheeks. He craned his head towards her as he opened his mouth to reply, "Nothing. Alright, Brooke? It says nothing about you. What it says is that your parents are mind numbingly stupid. For not seeing what an extraordinary daughter they have." Brooke's face turned towards his as he spoke. "One who's…strong and courageous. Smart and kind-hearted. Who could hex the pants off of anyone who annoys her even the slightest." She smiled at this, and he grinned before he continued, voice softening. "Who's beautiful and would gladly give up her own happiness if it meant happiness for someone else." He pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, searching her face as he did. "That's what your parents forgetting your birthday tells me, Brooke….Just that."_

_They stared at each other, Brooke smiling softly at him. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"_

_The hesitation and uncertainty in her voice made his heart tighten, and he silently cursed her parents for neglecting her through the years. Smiling, he nodded. "You light up the room, Brooke Stokes."_

_A moment passed between them, then, in which Cedric couldn't help but let his eyes drop to her lips, the desire to press his own gently against them becoming overwhelming. Why had he never before noticed that little mole on her left cheek, or how the small scar on her upper lip gleamed softly in comparison to her pale skin?_

_Her soft laugh broke his scrutiny of her face, and his eyes drifted to her own. "Thanks for remember, Cedric. And for the book." She shrugged. "You hit the target after all." He smiled and nodded his welcome, slightly disturbed by the moment that had passed and the feelings that came with it. Shaking the though away, he watched as she squinted her eyes slightly, her nose wrinkled. "You've got paint on your face, Diggory." He frowned, swiping a hand across his face. "No, no…right…there." And with those words, she reached over, smearing her paint covered finger across his nose, leaving a long, black streak in its wake. His eyes widened in surprise and shock, and when she grinned and laughed, he felt his heart jump into his throat for the second time that night._

It was in that moment he knew, with a sinking feeling in his gut, that Brooke Stokes had become much more than just a friend.

But what exactly she had become was a question Cedric was much too afraid to ask.

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Cedric loosened his tie as he made his way down the hall, the last of his Prefect round finally over. He turned the corners, halting his steps when he spotted a light shining from underneath a door he knew well.

Frowning, he glanced at his watch. It was just after midnight. Brooke was not one to stay out this late past curfew. Shoving his tie into his pocket, he walked the few steps to the door, pausing only to knock softly before pushing the door open.

Peering inside, he was surprised to see that the easel was empty, no canvas or pain in sight. The lone lantern sat on a table, its light shining brightly on the figure seated on the chaise. Brooke looked up at him as he shut the door, her usual smile gone from her face. "Hey," she whispered, voice tinged with sadness.

Cedric walked towards her sitting place slowly, hands deep in his pockets as he looked down at her. "Hi," he replied softly, gray eyes searching her face. "It's late, you know. Even for you."

A slight shrug escaped her. "You gonna write me up, Mr. Prefect?" she asked, a small smile appearing on her face. He grinned back, and she shook her head, looking down at her lap. "I guess I just lost track of time. Again."

Cedric sat down next to her, angling his body so he could keep his gaze on her. "What were you doing?"

She shrugged again, her smile quivering as tears shimmered in her eyes. "Thinking," she whispered. "About…everything. Or nothing. I guess it depends on how you look at it." She raised her head, brown eyes searching out his own, questioning. "What's your greatest fear, Cedric? When it's all said and done. What are you afraid of?"

Her question left something unsaid, he thought, and Cedric found himself looking deep into the recesses of his memory, trying to remember what had frightened him as a child.

He could remember being a toddler, and running to his mother when a house-elf had apparated before him at his uncle's birthday celebration. He could picture his first trip to Knockturn Alley when he got separated from his father on his first visit to Diagon Alley.

But as his eyes searched Brooke's face, he realized that her question was asking something way beyond his childhood fears and phobias. Taking a deep breath, he looked at her. "Being alone," he finally said. "When it's all said and done—when I'm gone from Hogwarts, done with Quidditch—I suppose I'm afraid I'll find myself standing alone, no one at my side, or back or front. Just…me. And me alone."

He couldn't help the surprise that he felt at his own response, wondering exactly how long this had been his greatest fear, and why he was just now realizing it.

Brooke bit her bottom lip as she nodded, her gaze once more traveling to her lap.

Cedric was silent as he watched her, his mind screaming at him to ask why she wanted to know; why she was sitting on the verge of tears in the early hours of the morning. But he pushed the desire aside, knowing that she'd tell him eventually, no matter how long he had to sit at her side.

"My mom was here today," she started, twisting the ring on her index finger, a sign he had learned to mean she was lost in thought, or nervous. "She had some kind of 'diplomatic' meeting with Professor Dumbledore or something. I didn't even know she was in the country." She laughed harshly. "Can you believe that she'd been here all day…and was just going to leave without even coming to check on me? I couldn't believe it when I ran into her in the hall on my way to Dumbledore's office. For a second, I don't even think she recognized me. Which, to me, seems hard, what with us looking so much alike."

At that, she did have a point. Cedric recalled seeing a photograph of Melinda Stokes in The Daily Prophet a few weeks back, accompanied by a large article of her most recent accomplishment in Muggle-Wizard relations. The likeness between mother and daughter was uncanny, from the brown hair and brown eyes right down to the heart shaped face. But while Brooke's face was always warm and bright, Melinda's held a cold, tough expression, with a smile that appeared almost cruel.

Brooke put her elbows on her knees, cradling her chin in her hands as she stared at the wall. "I don't know what I expected, really. Not a tear filled hug, exactly, but at least a warm hello. All she did was push her hair out of her eyes and look at me. For the longest time, she just…stared. Like she was analyzing me like a science project. But it still felt like she was just looking THROUGH me, you know?" She straightened, sighing as she did so. "It felt like small talk, Cedric. Like what you talk about with the great-aunt you only see one every few years. She asked me how school was, and dorm life…and I told her it was fine; I was doing my best. I told her about painting and how I felt I was really getting somewhere with it. And you know what she did?"

Cedric watched as her face turned to his, and the look of brokenness on her lovely face nearly did him in.

"She laughed. Can you believe that? She just laughed this doubtful little laugh and she looked right at me and told me that…I was wasting my time. With painting. I was wasting my time. That painting in my spare time while just 'doing my best' at everything else just wasn't enough…" She wiped a stray tear from her eye as she trailed off, releasing a shaky laugh. "It never seems to be enough with her. She was one of the top students here. Her name is on so many of those awards in the glass cases. And I really do try my best to live up to that, Cedric, I really do. But it's just not enough." Her voice broke. "I think that's my greatest fear. Not being enough. Not….good enough. Not smart enough. Not pretty enough, Not—"

Her words were cut off as Cedric's lips captured her own.

He couldn't stop himself. The sheer vulnerability and despair in her voice as she spoke to him broke his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to make it disappear. To make her realize that she was enough—that was more than enough.

His hands reached up and cradled her face as his lips met hers again and again, gentling each time until he broke away, snapping his eyes open as she gasped.

A hand had come up to cover her now swollen lips, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as they searched his face in shock.

Cedric felt a mental kick to his stomach as he stared at the fear on her face, and he quickly dropped his hands away. He stared at her as he tried to come up with something to say, but all he could form together was her name. "Brooke…"

Brooke shook her head, quickly rising from her seat. She grabbed her robes from the floor and clutched them to her chest as she looked at him. "I've gotta go," she whispered slowly, racing across the room to the door. She paused with her hand on the doorknob, turning slightly to look back at him. "I'm sorry."

She disappeared into the hallway, leaving Cedric to stare brokenly after her. After a moment, he dropped his head into his hands, suddenly very conscious that he had just made possibly the stupidest move in his entire life.


	4. Confessions

Once

Once

Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter Four

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One week, 3 days, 12 hours, 53 minutes.

Cedric tightened the scarf around his neck.

That's how long it had been since he had last seen Brooke. Or, rather, since he had kissed her and then watched her run away in fear. He sighed, his breath coming out in a puff of fog in the night air.

He couldn't get the image of Brooke's startled face out of his mind's eye. How could he have been so stupid? What had possessed him to kiss her like that, in her vulnerable state? A vulnerable state that she had trusted him with.

And now, his rash move had possibly cost him one of the most important things in his life.

Groaning in tired frustration, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he made his way down to the Quidditch field. Ravenclaw's practice had long been over, and he knew this was the best time to work on his strategies for the upcoming match against Gryffindor. Through how he could ever concentrate on feints and misdirection was lost on him.

Brooke had been avoiding him like the plague. No midnight lantern burned behind that familiar art room door. She sat with her back to him in the Great Hall, if she came down for meals at all. She had even taken a hiatus from tutoring Wood, much to the Keeper's panicked dismay. Her familiar face was absent from the halls, though from the corner of his eyes, he swore he could occasionally see a dark haired ponytail disappearing around the corner quickly.

The stress of the situation with Brooke had quickly transferred into Cedric's relationship with Cho, the increased number in arguments being a clear clue to that. She took his silence and mind distraction as a mark against her, while he secretly wanted to shove her aside and hunt Brooke down until she would talk to him.

But whenever that thought crossed his mind, he couldn't help but think back to the advice Brooke had given him, and he knew Cho wasn't being intrusive on purpose. So he would simply reassure her that it was merely Quidditch, Prefect duties, or his work load that had him so distracted, not her, and it seemed to appease the young Ravenclaw, who would shoot him a sympathetic glance before diving into another subject.

But as he went through his day-to-day routine, Cedric couldn't help but feel he was making a dire mistake not seeking Brooke out. While he felt that he needed to give her the space, he desperately wanted to know what was going through her head. Did she hate him for taking advantage of her in a weak moment? Was she angry at him for his betrayal of their friendship? Is that why, in the few times he caught her gaze, she averted her eyes and turned in the other direction?

Every second he thought of Brooke, and every second he cursed himself for his stupidity.

Entering into the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain's office just off the locker room, he tore off his heavy coat and scarf, tossing them into a nearby chair as he made his way to the paper covered desk.

As he sat behind it, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He stared at the parchment that littered the desk in dismay, vowing to himself that he would do the work he had set out to accomplish tonight, even through the image of a tear-streaked face refused to leave his imagination.

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"He was headed to the Quidditch field, last I saw. Looked a bit perturbed."

Susan Bones' statement still rang in Brooke's ears as she made her way across the darkened courtyard, her wand laminating the path she knew she had to tread.

Enough time had passed since Brooke had spoken to Cedric, and that afternoon she had made a promise to herself to talk to him about what had happened, and why she had reacted the way she did. She had had full intention of grabbing him as he left his Arithmancy class, but her courage and determination had quickly dissipated the moment Cho Chang wrapped her arms around his wait and planted a kiss on his cheek. The sight of him smiling at the sixth year seeker had felt like a block of ice in the pit of her stomach, and she had quickly fled around the corner before his gray eyes could spot her.

So she had waited until dinner, but seeing him at the Hufflepuff table, laughing with his friends, had been just as difficult, and she found herself retreating back to her common room, vowing to do it later in the evening.

Now later had come, and Brooke could put if off no longer. Which is why she found herself striding across the Quidditch field, heartbeat thundering in her ears as every step drew her closer to the locker rooms designated to the Hufflepuff house. As she reached the door, she extinguished the light from her wand, silently stuck it in her coat pocket, and, releasing a shaky breath, pushed her way inside. The only light she could see when her eyes adjusted was coming from another door off the locker room, and Brooke moved slowly towards it, her footsteps silent as she walked. The door to the captain's office stood ajar, and she peered inside.

Cedric sat at a small desk on one side of the room, his rumpled hair falling onto his forehead as his quill scratched quickly against the parchment in front of him. A quick glance around the room showed pictures on the walls, their occupants zooming in and out of their frames on broomsticks. The Hufflepuff flag stretched across most of one wall, while against the other sat a rather large cot, sheets in the familiar colors of Hufflepuff stretched smoothly over it. Brooke wasn't surprised to see it there, knowing full well how devoted the Quidditch captains were that pulling all-nighters in preparation for a match wasn't so far-fetched. The cot more than likely was there to offer them a few moments of rest when they truly needed it. Brooke's gaze traveled back to Cedric.

Knowing that it was now or never, she took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open, stepping inside.

Cedric looked up from his parchment, his look of surprise at someone's arrival quickly changing to shock as he saw exactly who it was. Brooke bit her bottom lip and stuck her hands into her back jean pockets as she slowly made her way further into the room. She smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Golden Boy," she whispered quietly.

Cedric stared at her for a moment, speechless. He dropped his quill and got to his feet. "Brooke," he started, running a hand through his hair. "What…what are you doing here?"

He watched as her gaze dropped quickly to the floor before slowly meeting his own, and he found his heart beating erratically. He took her completely in—her wind rustled hair, cheeks reddened from the cold air. Her dark coat hung open, revealing the purple turtleneck underneath, her scarf dangling idly from her shoulders. It had been so long since he had been this close to her, and he had to clench his hands into his fists at his side to keep them from pulling her to him.

"I needed to talk to you," she said, voice raspy as she struggled against the flood of emotion overtaking her. "About what happened. And why I've been kind of AWOL lately."

Cedric walked around the desk and took a step towards her. His chest tightened when she took a step back. The fear and confusion in her eyes broke his heart.

"Did my kiss ruin everything, Brooke?"

He saw the tears pool in her eyes, and she let of a shaky sigh. "No…I don't know," she said. She swiped at the bangs that fell into her eyes as she looked at him. "Why did you do it, Cedric?" She gazed at him brokenly. "I need to know…WHY you kissed me."

Cedric stared at her, unsure of what to say. Why HAD he kissed her? It was a question he'd asked himself a hundred times over the last week. Why had he kissed her? Suddenly all the excuses he had given himself to ease his guilt faded from his memory. All that he was left with was the vision of her heartbroken face. "Because I couldn't stand you thinking that you weren't good enough, Brooke," he said. "I couldn't just sit there and let you think that you were useless and didn't mean anything to anyone. Because the truth is…you mean a lot to me. Sometimes so much that it frightens me." He looked up at her soft sob. She stared at him intently, and by her expression, he couldn't tell if his explanation was what she had wanted to hear. "Why did you run?"

Brooke closed her eyes, sighing. "Because I was scared, Cedric. Because I didn't see it coming, or didn't expect it, I don't know." She ran a hand through her hair. "All I know is that…you kissed me. And it scared the hell out of me. Because I knew in that second that I couldn't fight the feelings I'd been fighting anymore. And I didn't want to let you go; I didn't want to stop, but…I knew I had to."

Cedric took a step towards her, and this time, she stay rooted in her spot. "Why? Why did you have to?"

"Because you weren't mine, Cedric," she whispered, looking up into his face. "You weren't then, and you aren't now. And it kills me inside to see you and Cho in the halls, or see the way she smiles at you and you smile at her, all the while knowing that it's that very thing that I want. Because no matter how many times over the last month I've told myself it's not true, I can't deny that I'm so in love with you I can't think straight." Tears were sliding down her face now, and she sobbed as she continued. "And I don't want to be, Cedric…I don't want to do something that's just going to get me hurt in the end, but no matter how hard I try, I can't stop."

Cedric reached out and cupped her face in his hands, thumbs wiping away the tears as he stared down at her. "I would never hurt you, Brooke," he whispered, touching his forehead to hers. "I'd sooner die than EVER hurt you."

"But you will, Cedric…everyone gets hurt in the end. One way or another. And it hurts all the same."

He shook his head, his hands traveling down her arms to rest on her waist. "Never, Brooke. Do you understand me? NEVER." He pulled away and stared at her for a long moment. "I love you, Brooke," he said softly, gray eyes searching her own. "I have for a long time now, but I've been trying to deny it. I've been so afraid of what you felt, so I've been fighting it off…but I don't want to anymore. I can't, knowing now that…that you've felt what I have." He brushed a piece of hair from her face. "Can you understand that? I love you, Brooke, and I won't deny it anymore."

Brooke stared at him, barely willing to believe that Cedric had just said what she always dreamed he would. He loved her.

Smiling, she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips against his, and Cedric saw. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her deeply, entwining his hands in her hair as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, and she felt her heavy coat slip from her shoulders the same instant her scarf was disentangled from her neck. She felt herself moving backwards, and when the back of her knees touched the edge of the coat, she let herself fall onto it, pulling Cedric down with her.

Cedric pulled away a fraction of an inch, staring down at her. "Brooke…" he asked, a question in his voice. Brooke only shook her head and smiled, pulling his head down until their lips touched again. She felt his hand slide under her shirt, and she reached up and began to undo the buttons of his shirt.

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That night, the occupants of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry slept peacefully through the night. Across the grounds, however, Brooke Stokes lied peacefully in the arms of Cedric Diggory, her mind racing with thoughts of what had just happened between them, and wondering to herself what the sunlight of tomorrow would bring.

But as she lied with her head against Cedric's bare torso, the sound of his even breathing lulling her to sleep, she suddenly didn't care.

For the first time in 17 years, Brooke Stokes said damn to the consequences, and burrowing herself further into the sheets and closer to Cedric, she let herself fall into a peaceful sleep.

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Ta-da! Sorry it took so long to update…it won't happen again! Please review!


	5. Five Minutes

Once

Once

AN: Ok…I'm such a loser. I'm sorry that it's taken so long to review. I should be thrown to the lions…I promise to update more often. Please put all weapons away now.

Disclaimer: If I seriously owned Cedric Diggory…well…let's just say I wouldn't be writing a story about him. 

Once

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Just five more minutes….

Brooke sighed deeply. Five more minutes and she'd wake up. She just wanted five more minutes to dream that all too familiar dream: Lying in the arms of Cedric Diggory.

A soft breeze gently blew against her skin, and she sighed again. If she didn't get up now, she never would.

Eyes still shut, Brooke stretched her arms over her head, groaning as her muscles popped, before letting them fall to her sheet covered torso.

Her BARE, sheet covered torso.

She frowned.

Where were her pajamas?

Warm lips suddenly grazed her collarbone, and her eyes snapped open. As soon as his face broke into her favorite crooked smile, memories of the previous night flooded back to her, and she stared at him in shock.

"Cedric?"

He nodded. "Were you expecting someone else?"

She bit her lip. "No…I just…I could have sworn that I dreamt everything."

Cedric snorted. "You're not that creative." (A.N. Thanks Stephenie Meyer!!)

Brooke smiled softly, her eyes taking in his every detail. His disheveled hair, his shining gray eyes, the crooked smile that always managed to steal her breath away. She met his eyes.

"So it really happened, then?," she asked softly.

Cedric nodded, tracing the outline of her cheek with a finger. "Are you sorry? That it happened?"

"No," she replied, voice soft but confident. "Not at all…It was just…new."

She bit her lip. "New" was putting it lightly. Brooke had been at a loss as soon as she and Cedric had hit the cot. She simply let her instincts take over. But "new" was the best and easiest way she could describe her first time.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind, and she reached up, tracing his hand with her index finger. "So, out of curiosity," she started, her blush deepening. "Was last night…well….what I mean is, was it…"

Cedric kissed her softly, his lips upturned in a smile as he nodded against her own. "It was new for me too, Brooke," he said quietly. He brushed her hair away from her face with his hand, his expression softening, becoming more serious. "Do you know what it's been like, this past week," he said softly. "Thinking all this time that you were angry with me? When, in reality, you were just as scared as I was. I was terrified when you ran from me, Brooke. I was so scared that I had ruined any chance at all that I had."

Brooke stared at him as he spoke, and she smiled softly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Cedric," she whispered. "I probably shouldn't have reacted like that, but…you're my best friend." She laughed softly. "You were my best friend, and you weren't mine to have. So I ran. And I told myself that if I just gave it enough time, things would get back to normal; like it never happened…but I couldn't forget, no matter how hard I tried. And I realized that…I didn't want to." She looked up at him from under her lashes. "What do we do now, Ced? About us?"

Cedric sighed. He had been thinking that same question since he opened his eyes to see her sleeping form next to his. It was a question he wasn't sure how to answer. "I don't know…But I do know that I can't go back to how it was, Brooke. Back to just friends who see each other once a week. Not after last night and knowing how you feel. How I feel. Not after this." He traced her cheek once more.

"What about Cho?"

His finger stilled against her skin. He met her questioning eyes. "I'm yours, Brooke."

Brooke shook her head. "You can't do that to her, Cedric."

"Why not? I love you…"

Brooke sighed, clutching the sheet to her chest as she pushed herself forward on one elbow. "It's not fair to her. I mean…what we did…"

Cedric pushed himself up. "You told me you didn't regret it, Brooke."

"I don't," she answered quickly. "I don't regret it one bit. If I had to do it over again, I would, gladly!" She blushed suddenly at the smile that appeared on his face, and she smacked him with the back of her hand. "Be serious," she laughed. Sighing, she looked at him. "Cedric…I love you. And I love what happened between us last night…but…you can't break Cho's heart like that. It's not fair to her, and it's not fair to us. Do you really want to start this with something like that following us around?"

Cedric stared at her. Her lovely face was contorted with the emotions she was experiencing. Contentment, worry, anger…he wondered if his face conveyed what he felt at that moment.

Fear.

Fear, because he knew that Brooke was right. He couldn't do something so horrible to Cho. When he thought about it, he had betrayed her by being with Brooke. _By being happy, _he thought bitterly.

Fear, because as he sat staring at her, Cedric wasn't sure what the right thing to do was. For the first time in his life, Cedric was afraid of the choice he would have to make.

He couldn't—no, he WOULDN'T—lose Brooke. Not again. But he wasn't so sure he could bring himself to break Cho's heart, either.

Sighing, he looked at Brooke once more. "What should we do?"

The brunette shrugged. "I don't know…wait it out, I guess. See what happens…I just…I can't let you do that to Cho, Cedric."

Cedric smiled at her, nodding. "I know…and it's making you incredibly appealing to me at the moment." He leaned towards her smiling face, pressing his lips against hers and entangling his hand into her dark hair. He felt her warm breath against his face, and he pulled her closer. She laughed against his lips, and he felt himself gently pushed away.

"We have to go," she said breathlessly. At his scowl, she grinned. "If I remember, Slytherin reserves the field on Saturdays."

Cedric sighed, knowing he was defeated. The last thing he wanted was Marcus Flint around. Especially if Brooke was nearby. He'd never subject her to that kind of attention. He threw himself back onto the cot, folding his hand behind his head as he stared up at her. She wrapped the sheet tightly around herself before scooting towards the end of the cot. Cedric felt his lips slip into a grin. "What are you doing?"

Brooke looked at him. "Getting dressed. Close your eyes."

Cedric laughed. "I've seen you naked, Stokes," he said, grabbing her hand. "You and I have no secrets anymore." At her astonished expression, he pulled her arm, smiling when she fell against him. He cradled her face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers. He pulled her tighter when she moaned softly, and he felt her hands on his chest. "Not that I'm complaining, of course," he mumbled as his lips trailed down her neck. "It was quite an enjoyable view."

Brooke giggled, and he felt her relax against him. "Well, I guess five more minutes won't hurt anything," she said quietly.

Cedric laughed and rolled with her, pressing her back into the cot. He held himself carefully over her, and his lips found hers once more.

Five minutes was all he asked for.

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Awww…wasn't that fluffy? Ok…so this was pretty much a filler chapter. Well…maybe not. I don't know what it was, really, but I love it!! I hope you guys do too! I promise to get the next chapter up soon. I'm off work the next two days, so hopefully I can get it up soon!

Beenie!! Did you hear the teaser trailer for Twilight is out next week. On TV and before Speed Racer, opening May 9th…guess who's going to the movies next week?? 


	6. Bad days

Once

Once

A.N. Thanks to all of my reviewers!! Beenie and Katja, you guys are so faithful! Hera3304, thanks for taking the time to read! It means a lot to know you guys enjoy my story!

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The light murmur of voices hummed in Brooke's ears as she made her way down the slightly crowded hallway. Her eyes scanned the piece of paper in her hands for the third time, brow furrowing. Her shoulder collided with a passing student, and she jerked upright, murmuring her apology. She folded the paper and quickly stuffed it in her bag.

Running a hand through her hair, she sighed.

Today was not a good day. Her most recent marks in Potions had come back much lower than she wished, and she had once again been late to Tranfiguration. The letter was the cherry on top.

Closing her eyes, she dropped her hand to her side, slumping her shoulder against the wall.

She needed something good to happen.

Her wrist was suddenly enclosed in strong fetters, and she gasped as she was pulled into the corridor she leaned next to. Her back was suddenly pressed against the wall, and a smile spread across her face as a familiar set of lips captured her own.

It had been nearly a month since the night at the Quidditch field with Cedric. Nearly a month of secret meetings, sneaking into dark corridors, meaningful looks across the Great Hall. Nearly a month of being guilt-ridden and avoiding Cho's friendly gaze in the halls.

And nearly a month of not giving a damn.

Brooke reached up, entangling her hands into Cedric's hair as his arms encircled her waist, pulling her closer. His lips slid to her throat, and she sighed, knowing that the disillusionment charm Cedric had cast hid them well within the shadows of the corridor.

Her hands slid to his shoulders as he smiled against her skin.

"Mmmm..I've missed you," he whispered.

She smiled, still so unused to his affection.

"The very fact that I've been away from this," he kissed her neck softly, causing a shiver to travel down her spine, "is incredibly unbearable."

"Sorry it was so torturous for you."

Cedric chuckled against her skin, raising his head. His gray eyes locked with her brown ones as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "What has you so bothered this afternoon?"

Brooke hesitated for a semi-second before smiling. "What makes you think something is bothering me?"

He shrugged, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "You have that look you get when things are getting completely overwhelming, but you're pushing it all aside so no one notices."

She sighed. "It's nothing…and you shouldn't know that look yet."

"Brooke…"

She stared at him for a long moment. She could never ignore those smoldering eyes…. "It's really nothing. Aidan just sent me a letter to let me know that….someone from our past kind of resurfaced."

Cedric's perfect brow furrowed. "What someone?"

"No one that really matters when I'm halfway across the world," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She smiled at his anxious expression. "Ced…it's nothing. Just a guy that caused some trouble a few years ago. Aidan's got it all under control. There's nothing to worry about. Promise." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. He sighed against her lips in mock defeat.

"Well…if you promise…"

Brooke laughed suddenly as he grabbed her waist, pulling her deeper into the shadows of the corridor, whispering promises of his own into her ear.

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Cedric groaned as he laid his head against the desk, the muscles in his neck screaming in protest.

As far as Quidditch practices go, this afternoon's was the worst he'd ever seen. He might as well have been shouting his instructions to blind, deaf idiots for all the good it had done. They had flown in different directions, dodging where they should have been diving, and diving where they should have dodged. He had even taken a bludger to the stomach because of a teammate's stupidity. He closed his eyes.

They didn't stand a chance.

The door to the captain's office opened, and he lifted his head to see Brooke slipping into the room, a towel and bottle of clear liquid in her arms. She smiled, shutting the door behind her as she walked towards him.

"Hi," he said, smiling.

Brooke shrugged as she stopped at the desk. "I caught your practice today." The smile slipped from his face. "See? That's why I'm here." She held out her hand, and he took it without asking anything, rising to his feet. She placed a kiss on his lips as she pulled him towards the cot across the room. "Take off your shirt." He smiled widely, and she laughed. "Not for that, Golden Boy. You're tense beyond belief, and I think you need to relax for awhile."

Cedric laughed as he tugged his shirt off over his head, tossing it to the side. "What better way to relax?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, shoving against his chest until he sat on the cot. "You're such a man. Lie on your stomach," she ordered. He grinned again. "Now," she said, laughing. He chuckled, but did as she asked, stretching himself out. He smiled again as he felt her weight behind him.

She sat above him, straddling his waist as she rubbed some of the clear liquid onto her hands. She started with his shoulders, kneading them deeply before slowly working her way down his back. He moaned into the pillow, and she smiled.

"Dear God, woman," he muttered. "You're certainly one terrifying monster when left to your own devices."

She laughed, kneading the muscles on his left side. "Aidan used to coach a baseball team, and they pretty much sucked too. They used to stress him out to the point of ripping out his own hair. This was pretty much the most effective way to relax him after a bad game." Cedric gave her a sidelong glance, and she smiled. "Not exactly like this. I mean, this is much more enjoyable with you than him."

Her hands traced his spine, and Cedric closed his eyes as he sighed.

How did he find her? How did he ever manage to cross paths with a girl that continually stole his breath away and took him by surprise?

The touch of her hands skillfully kneading the skin of his back began to lull him into relaxation, and he couldn't stop the thoughts from entering his mind.

He loved Brooke. With every fiber of his being. And keeping those feeling under wraps, hidden from the rest of the world, was beginning to take its toll.

His guilty conscience had forced him to be much more attentive to Cho, and every time the Ravenclaw's eyes lit up around him, he felt a weight tug at his chest.

He knew it was wrong to deceive her; to lie. But it's what Brooke wanted; what she insisted on. And when he thought about it, he realized that he couldn't hurt Cho like that. He couldn't break her heart.

But every time he pressed his lips against hers, his own heart chipped when he pictured another set of lips…

Lips that were currently pressed against his ear.

"Did you fall asleep?," Brooke whispered.

He felt himself smile, and he opened his eyes to see her face next to his on the pillow. "I didn't tell you to stop," he said. She smiled, rolling her eyes, and he reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About how much I love you." He kissed the palm of her hand softly. "Sometimes I wonder if you even know just how much…It hurts at times. More than I can bear. But I do anyway, because the alternative is something I can't live with." He looked into her eyes, his thumb caressing the smooth skin of her hand. "I love you, Brooke Stokes, and I want every part of you. ALL of you."

Brooke smiled, squeezing his hand. "You have all of me, Ced," she whispered. She scooted closer to him, leaning her forehead against his as she met his eyes. "You have every part of me imaginable and possible…and that's never going to change."

Cedric caressed her cheek, staring into the eyes he had come to love so much. The love he saw there was all he needed. He brought their lips together, relishing in the way they fit so perfectly. His hand slid to her neck, trailing down her elbow before traveling to her back. He pushed her closer, sighing when her hands slid down his chest.

He never wanted to leave this spot, this place in time. He wanted to spend the rest of his life kissing Brooke. Holding her. Watching her sleep. Simply being next to her. He never wanted to leave her.

His chest tightened. The thought of leaving her at the end of the year was more than he could stand. It made him physically ill to think of it. Would once a week visits in Hogsmeade be enough for him? Would there even be any visits, if Cho was still with him?

He broke away from her, staring into her eyes. "I want you to have all of me, Brooke. Every part. Every aspect."

Brooke closed her eyes, sighing as she knew what he referred to. "Cedric," she said softly.

"I don't want to hide anymore, Brooke," he said, taking her face in his hands. "I've offered to break up with Cho…now I'm insisting." He brushed her bangs out of her eyes, his thumb caressing the skin of her cheek.

"It's eating me alive, deceiving Cho. But it's killing me, not being able to kiss you when I see you in the corridor, or hold you against me in the Great Hall after supper. I will take the verbal onslaught, Brooke, if it means that I can have all that."

Brooke stared at him. "But Cho…"

"Is getting the short end of the stick either way. Is it really fair to her, having her believe she owns my heart when it's in your possession? I know it will hurt her, Brooke, and that fact kills me. But she'll move on…It's not fair to keep lying to her." He kissed her softly. "Is it fair to you to have to see me with her? Or fair to me, when I have to pretend with her, when all I want to do is find you? We've waited it out, Brooke…now I'm done waiting. I just want to be with you."

Brooke was silent as he spoke. When he finished, a small smile graced her face. "Me too…me too." She traced his flawless lips with her fingertip. "Somebody always end up getting hurt in the end," she murmured.

Cedric shook his head. "No, Brooke Stokes. I'm going to keep you safe. Always."

He brought their lips together again, whispering softly that he loved her more than life itself.

And that would never change.

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Aw…fluffy!! I just want to give props to The Haunted Airman, that totally inspired the massage scene…I could barely breath through that entire with scene! (Beenie…you know what I mean.)

So…I felt that a fluffy chapter was in order….considering that next chapter…well…I can't give any spoilers, can I? Mwwahahaha!!

Please review, guys!


	7. Blasphemy

Once

Once

A.N. Thanks to all my reviewers!! You guys are so amazing!!

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The Gryffindor common room was for once deserted, and as Brooke climbed her way through the large portrait hole, she couldn't be happier.

She was exhausted.

No more late night study sessions with Hermione.

When she had agreed to study with the bushy hair Gryffindor, she never believed they would be up past four in the morning. Brooke had fallen asleep the second her head hit her pillow, only to be awakened 3 hours later to begin the week of finals before Christmas break.

As she pulled herself up the stairs to the dormitory, she was for once grateful for the quiet. No small talk or rapid fire questions. Just quiet, and the safety of her own bed.

Her bad was quickly tossed to the floor, robe flying over the window seat, and she spun on her heel until she fell backwards onto the bed. She sighed, stretching her arms high over her head before letting them drop to her pillow.

Which felt satiny smooth.

A familiar scent teased her nostrils, and Brooke pushed herself up onto her elbows, craning her neck to peer at her coverlet.

None of the golden sheets could he seen beneath the sea of red silk. _Roses,_ she thought, smiling. _Cedric._

At least a hundred roses covered every square inch of her bed, their red silk petals brushing against her skin as she moved. A quiet laugh escaped her lips as her fingers reached for the note on her pillow.

_Dearest Brooke—_

_I called on the house elves for a favor. There's a rose for every moment I thought of you this morning. By Christmas, I'll be able to deliver them to you personally. Their beauty pales in comparison to yours._

_Yours, now and always,_

_Cedric_

Brooke's fingertips traced across his neat penmanship, smile widening at his signature.

Soon, he would be her Cedric. All hers.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind, and she reached for the quill and parchment at her bedside. She flung herself down into the sea of roses, giggling softly as she inhaled their sweet aroma. HER Cedric…

She sighed happily as she penned the letter to her brother, finally telling of the boy that had captured her heart.

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The Owlery was at the top of one of Hogwarts' tallest towers. Brooke's legs protested as she climbed the many stairs, but she trudged on, the letter to Aidan in her hand.

She was smiling.

She wanted to get it sent right away, even now anticipating his response.

She'd asked his permission to invite Cedric for Christmas. His parents, as well, of course. If she could keep the fact that she and Cedric were more intimate than she had led on a secret, things would go much easier for everyone.

Her smile widened as she imagined Christmas with Cedric. Aidan would love him—after playing the overprotective big brother card, of course. They'd stay up late Christmas Eve watching It's a Wonderful Life. They'd wake up early Christmas morning and open presents, and everyone would laugh at the gag gifts she and Aidan exchanged every year. Though it didn't snow in Las Vegas, they'd still frolic together outside before heading in for Christmas dinner, where it would be painstakingly obvious to their families that they truly loved each other, and they'd offer their congratulations.

Brooke skipped to the top of the stairs. She practically twirled around, giddy as she was with her imaginings, before turning the corner—

And coming face to face with Cho Chang.

The breath left Brooke's chest as she met the gaze she had been avoiding guiltily for the past month. The girl's face smiled in kindness, and the guilt hit Brooke harder.

"Hello, Brooke," Cho said, her voice thick with her Scottish accent.

Brooke forced an uncomfortable smile. "Hey, Cho," she said, trying to calm her racing pulse. _Please don't let her see_ she begged. "Sending a letter home?"

Cho smiled and shook her head, long black hair falling over her shoulder. "No…I come up here to think now and then."

Brooke nodded, still deeply uncomfortable. "Yeah. Well…I won't keep you."

She went to step around her, but the Ravenclaw held out a hand to stop her.

"Wait, please," she said. Brooke stopped. "Would you mind…I mean, could I ask you something?"

Brooke hesitated. "Sure…"

Cho shuffled her feet slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You know Cedric, right? Cedric Diggory?"

Panic gripped Brooke's heart, and she felt the color slowly drain from her face. _No, she can't know—we've been so careful! _She nodded, unsure of herself to speak.

"Do you like him?"

Brooke's heart raced in panic. "Y-yes. Sure," she said, willing her voice not to shake. "Why?"

Cho's smile suddenly fell, and she shrugged. "I'm just trying to make sense of my feelings for him. We've been together for almost six months, and I'm starting to think there's more to my feelings than just like."

Brooke frowned. "You mean love?"

Cho laughed, and Brooke's stomach sank. That's the way she laughed around Cedric.

"I don't know…maybe. I mean, we fight all the time, but the truth is, I've never had more fun. I love just being with him…I'm starting to think that maybe I do…love him." A look of worry suddenly crossed her flawless face. "But lately I've felt like he's pulling away from me. Like it's going to be over any moment, and he's just waiting for the best way to tell me so." Her dark eyes watered as she spoke, and Brooke could see the insecurity in them. "Maybe he thinks I don't feel as strongly for him as he does for me? Do you think if I told him, it'd make things better?"

Brooke stared at the girl, heart breaking and mind racing. She wanted to scream at her, not it won't. he doesn't love you—just let him go. Let him be happy.

But her upbringing held her back, and suddenly all of Aidan's advice came screaming back at her. Don't deceive. Don't lie. Don't cheat.

Her heart sank when she realized she'd done all three. Aidan would be ashamed.

While she had been deliriously happy the past month, Cho had been miserable, her heart breaking at the thought that she was losing Cedric.

She'd made herself believe it was better for Cedric to continue the charade with Cho. To keep up appearances so the transition would be easier.

Now she realized she'd just been telling herself these things to make herself feel better.

Staring at Cho Chang now, Brooke realized that what she had told Cedric a month ago was true: Everyone gets hurt.

She forced a smile to her face. "Maybe," she whispered. "I guess you just have to follow your heart." Her own was breaking.

Cho smiled, sighing in relief. "Good…I just wanted to hear someone else say it." She regarded Brooke with a sincere gaze. "Thank you, Brooke…I've always known you'd be a good friend." She waved in farewell and quickly stepped around her to head down the stairwell.

Brooke's face crumbled the moment she left, no longer able to fight the tears. Cho's words felt like a knife to her already broken heart.

She sobbed brokenly for a long moment, her skin numb to the chilly air.

Finally, she pulled herself together. She ran her gloved fingers over her wet cheeks.

She knew what she had to do, and her heart broke with the reality of it. She folded the letter to Aidan in half, stuffing it in her back pocket, before making her way downstairs.

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Brooke trekked her way down the familiar path to the Quidditch field, hearbeat echoing louder in her ears with every step she took. Could she do this?

She pushed her way inside the stadium that was reserved for the Hufflepuffs. Cedric had set up one last secret night meeting "before it's for real." He'd said it with the most beautiful smile…She'd almost convinced herself to let things continue on the way they were.

But then she thought of Cho's hope-filled face that morning, and she knew that she could never live with breaking that expression. She knew she had to follow through with her plan.

Fighting against the tears that threatened to fill her eyes, she made her way inside.

Cedric leaned against his desk, a smile playing across his perfect lips, and Brooke's heart froze in her chest.

Two candles burned on the cloth covered desk, a bowl of cherries—her favorite—wedged between two goblets of butterbeer. Brooke shook her head as she walked slowly towards him, twisting the ring on her finger. "You shouldn't have done this, Cedric," she whispered brokenly.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It wasn't any trouble," he said, taking her hand and pulling her closer.

"Cedric, wait," she said when he leaned his head towards hers. If he kissed her, she'd never be able to do this. He looked at her questioningly. "I have to talk to you about something." She looked at him, trying to calm herself.

Cedric frowned. "Brooke, you can talk to me about anything. What's wrong?"

She pulled her hand from his grasp, and clutched it to her chest, turning from his gaze. Maybe if she held her chest tight enough, she could keep her heart from breaking. She kept her back turned as she took a deep breath. "I can't do this anymore," she whispered.

Cedric was quiet only for a moment. "We won't have to much longer," he said.

Brooke closed her eyes at his voice, and opened them as she turned to him. "No," she said. "I can't do THIS anymore."

She watched his face as he took in her meaning, and her tears threatened to come forth at his expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly, voice tinged with confused worry.

Brooke fought back her tears as she looked at him. "We've been fooling ourselves, Cedric," she said softly, willing her voice to stay steady. "Thinking that this was okay; that it was going to work…It's not. On both accounts, it's not. It's just…a waste of time."

Her lie hit Cedric hard, and her lips trembled as his face became pained. He took a step towards her. "Brooke, if this is about Cho—."

"It's not," she cut in. "This is about me…I'm just realizing that this can't work." She forced a smile as she shrugged. "You have to admit that it was doomed from the start, you know? No relationship can last on deception."

Cedric took two long strides towards her, never breaking eye contact.

"You don't mean this, Brooke," he said brokenly—almost desperately. "I know you—I know what you're doing." He grabbed her shoulders. "You're doing this for Cho—you're hurting yourself so you won't hurt her. You and your ridiculous compassion."

The tears slipped from her eyes now as Brooke shook her head. "I'm not, Cedric. I just…I can't lie to myself anymore." She drew a shaky breath. _Please forgive me, Ced_. "I can't tell myself that I feel something for you when I really don't."

Cedric dropped his hands as if she had burned him, pain flashing across his face. His mouth hung open in shock, face drained of color. He stared at her brokenly, and Brooke prayed that her legs would not buckle beneath her. Cedric's face slowly relaxed slightly, and he shook his head. "You don't…I don't believe you," he struggled. "You're lying, Brooke."

"I'm not," she rasped out.

He gripped her chin, jerking it up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Fine, then tell me. I need to hear you say it. Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love me the way I love you."

Brooke stared at his pleading eyes, and felt her strength waver. She wanted to cry, to tell him yes. That she loved him more than anything in the world, and that she wanted nothing more than to be by his side for the rest of her life. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and lose herself in his kiss.

But she forced her thoughts away, choking down the sob in her throat. "I don't love you," she said strongly, staring directly into his eyes.

Cedric stepped back from her, his whole body radiating pain. He said nothing, just stared at her, eyes searching her face. He obviously didn't find what he wanted. He turned his back to her, bracing his hands against the desk.

Brooke stared at him, heartbroken. Her lips parted in a silent sob as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Cedric," she whispered. His hands clenched the edge of the desk, shoulders shaking in anger. "Bye," she said. She clutched a hand to her mouth before her sob could be heard and turned, running from the room. She heard a loud crash behind her, and she knew Cedric's romantic gesture now laid strewn about the room.

She didn't look back and she didn't stop running. She ran through the courtyard, up the brick path, all the way to the school. She felt her legs start to buckle, and she grasped onto the pillar next to her, sliding down to her knees as the sobs finally overtook her. Her body wracked with the sheer force of them, and she didn't care that they echoed brokenly against the stone walls.

She needed to hear them. She needed to hear the weight of what she had done. She needed to hear her heart breaking. She needed to hear it, so she would never make the same mistake again.

She would never fall in love again.

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….please don't kill me…it had to happen!! You don't understand now, but you will soon!! Or will you….??


	8. Apologies

Once

Once

A.N. I'm sorry….I'm totally lame. It has been a crazy couple of weeks since I started a second job—and I'm still just as miserable!! But then I read your reviews…and suddenly I feel better. So here's the next chapter!! Enjoy!! Beenie…Treetops? Do you think it's gonna work??

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Brooke was in pain.

And not just the emotional, tear-your-heart-out pain she'd been in since arriving from Hogwarts for Christmas break. Her whole body ached.

She couldn't see. It hurt to open her eyes. They felt heavy and swollen, the bruises already taking over. Something warm and sticky was trickling down her arm, and the fire from the cuts burned through her body. Every breath she took made her ribs ache, and she wondered how many of them were broken. Her head hung limply, and she felt her consciousness start to wane.

His voice echoed through her head as she felt his breath on her face. He was taunting her; insulting her. Why couldn't she have just agreed with him? He hated hurting her, but he had to show her. Why couldn't she just be smart?

Then he was gone, and the darkness slowly began to overtake her. A different voice, a familiar, comforting voice, rang in her ears. It was calling her name, panicked. Warm hands cradled her face, lifting it up, but her eyes remained closed.

Only one thought passed through her mind, and as the darkness claimed her, she whispered only one name:

"Cedric…."

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That incessant beeping was back. It was steady, strong. At least, that's what the sagely voice had whispered earlier.

Sighing, Brooke pried her eyes open, the light quickly sending pain through her head. They settled on the machine that sat next to her uncomfortable hospital bed, and watched at it monitored her heartbeat.

Funny….it didn't sound broken.

"Hey, kid."

She turned her head slowly, and broken half-smile appeared on her face at her brother's appearance.

Detective Aidan Stokes leaned against the frame of her room door, an identical smile on his face. They did look a like, now that she thought about it. The same hair tone, the same brown eyes. But where Brooke was small and lean, Aidan was large and toned. His wide shoulders took up the doorway, his muscles only intensified by the t-shirt he wore. His shoulder holster clung to his back. Sometimes, he just couldn't get out of his cop act.

"It's good to see your eyes open," he said. "They've been closed awhile."

Brooke stared at him. "How long?" She was surprised at how raspy her voice sounded.

Aidan pushed away from the door frame, his heavy shoes clicking against the hospital floor as he made his way to her bedside. "A couple days. They knocked you out pretty good. I tried to tell them about your intolerance for drugs, but they didn't listen. You were out." He pulled out the chair next to her bed and sat down. He reached his hand out and pushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "You had me scared, kid. It's a good thing you dialed that phone."

Brooke's breath caught as the memories flooded back to her. Moping around the house while Aidan had been on a night shift. The doorbell ringing. Opening the door to see the face she had hoped she'd never see again.

Ethan Sawyer.

"Is he gone?"

Her voice came out in a terrified whisper.

Aidan nodded. "Yeah, Brooke…He's in a holding cell under very tight security. Charlie has so much security on him, it'd be easier to break into the White House. He's not getting away this time."

Brooke nodded, and winced when the simple gesture sent pain through her body. "How bad am I anyway?"

Aidan sighed in mock tragedy. "Don't look in a mirror." She glared at him, and he cracked a smile. "You're better. A couple broken ribs. You're gonna have a hell of a shiner, not to mention some pretty hideous scars. But, knowing you, you'll turn it into the next fashion." His voice was calm, but Brooke could hear the rage brewing beneath it. He stared at her for a long moment. "I could have killed the bastard, Brooke. When I heard his voice in the background of the phone call…when I heard the struggle. I couldn't get there fast enough. Remind me to never yell at you for keeping your cellphone in your back pocket again, okay?" He smiled. "I'm sorry, sis. I should have been keeping closer tabs on him. He just disappeared not long after he got here…I should have known better."

Brooke shook her head, ignoring the pain. "Stop, Aidan. Please…it's not your fault. I know you're not gonna believe me, but I'm going to keep telling you anyway. Please don't kick yourself about it…I'm okay…I'm going to be okay."

Aidan sighed, resting his chin on his clasped hands as he regarded her closely. Finally, he spoke. "Who's Cedric?"

Brooke froze, the sound of his name sending a shot of pain through her heart. "What?"

Aidan looked at her. "You said his name after I found you. You just kept saying 'I have to see him, I have to tell him the truth.' All the way to the hospital." He stared at her. "So…who's Cedric?"

Brooke was silent as the tears welled in her eyes.

"Is he the reason you were so tortured when I picked you up?" She looked away from him. "You're a bad actress, Brooke. You've been trying to hide it all, but I can see through you." He waited. "Who is he?"

Brooke's lips trembled, and she closed her eyes as tears slipped through. "Cedric…he's everything." She opened her eyes to see her brother staring at her. "He's a boy at school. And…I love him. So much." A sob broke through her lips, and she raised her IV-covered hand to cover her mouth.

"And he didn't love you back?" Aidan's voice was soothing, as was his hand as he stroked her arm encouragingly.

Brooke shook her head, stifling her sobs. "He did. He offered me everything, and I just…couldn't." Aidan's eyes questioned her reply and she sighed shakily. "We cheated, Aidan. He belonged to someone else, and I just…didn't care. It didn't matter at all. Things just kept happening, and I saw it happening and I just didn't stop it. Even after we…" Her words trailed off, and she closed her eyes at Aidan's intake of breath. "He was going to end it with her, to be with me. But I just…I couldn't let him do that. Not to her. Not for me. So I broke his heart." Her last words came out in a strangled sob.

"And yours," Aidan added softly.

Brooke nodded, swiping at the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "You must be so disappointed in me, Aidan," she whispered, staring at him brokenly.

Aidan nodded, sighing. "Damn right, I am. You and your stupid compassion."

Brooke's gaze snapped to his in shock. "What?"

Aidan stared at her. "Brooke, what did you expect me to say? Scold you? Brooke, you're old enough to know your own mind. I trust your decisions. I'm not happy about it. God knows, I'd be happy if I never knew you even knew what sex is, let alone…did it." His face cringed at the word. "But it was inevitable, I guess." He sighed as he looked at her. "I'm not saying that adultery is the best thing in the world, Brooke. It's not. But why the hell you felt this need to hurt yourself after he offered to make it easier…why can't you just once be selfish?" He ran a hand through his spiked hair. "I love you, little sister. But sometimes I just want to knock some sense into you."

Brooke stared at him. "How are you not ripping my head off?"

Aidan smiled. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're pretty much grown up, kid. I mean, if you want me to yell and throw a fit, I can. But with you halfway across the world for most the year, I've had to just accept that you're going to make decisions that I might not agree with. But I know you're smart. I know that you think things through…most of the time. The whole changing my identity thing to avoid Rebecca excluded."

Brooke giggled softly at his words, the memory of a shocked Aidan with rainbow colored hair popping into her head. He grinned back at her before sighing.

"You're older than your years, Brooke. But you've got this martyr complex. You need to learn to be happy without worrying about everyone else's feelings. People get hurt, Brooke. Every day. I see it enough in my line of work. Hearts get broken. But you know what? People get over it. They move on. Whoever this guy is, he's gotta be something or you wouldn't be so worked up over him. And he is willing to bring on a hell of a lot of rage onto him so he can be with you. And for God's sakes, Brooke…you deserve that kind of happiness."

Brooke felt the tears well in her eyes again, and she fought back the sobs that rose in her throat. "I want to be happy with him. I want it more than anything."

"Then I'll kick your skinny little ass if you don't do something about it."

Brooke laughed loudly. "Sure you will, Detective," she said, looking up at him. She smiled. "So it's okay to be selfish? Just this once?"

Aidan smiled at her fondly, ruffling her hair. "It's okay to be selfish more than once, sis. Especially for you." They smiled at each other for a moment, and Aidan leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm proud of you, kid. Now more than ever." His face took on a mock stern expression. "But I meet this kid as soon as school's out, got it? I do have a reputation to uphold."

Brooke's smile faltered slightly at this words, and worry started to cloud her expression. "Aidan…I told him a horrible lie. If you had seen his face…" She looked at him. "What if he doesn't forgive me?"

Aidan leaned down close to her. "He will," he promised. "You've gotta trust that." He smiled. "And if he doesn't, then give me a call. Me and the guys will have a talk with him."

Brooke smiled, and she grabbed his hand. "Thanks, Aidan. I really love you, ya know."

He grinned. "Who doesn't?"

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_One week later….._

"The letter from your Headmaster said that you can take the first week off if you want," Aidan yelled from the hallway. "Nobody will mind, and the nurse will be expecting you if you need anything."

Brooke sighed as she walked down the stairs, her jacket and school robes over her arm. She didn't care about classes. She didn't even care about getting Madam Pomfrey to work her magic on her still fresh wounds. She didn't care what Hermione or anyone else would say when they saw her beaten and haggard appearance. She only cared about finding Cedric. She came to a stop at the bottom step, her face betraying her worry as Aidan turned away from her bags and faced her. He glared at her.

"Uh-uh. None of that. It's going to be fine." He walked to her. "You've been preparing yourself for the last week, building it all up, and now you're going to do it." He reached out, gently grabbing her shoulders. "It's going to be fine, Brooke. You just have to do it. Rip it of like band-aid. It won't be so bad."

Brooke scoffed at him. "You whimper when you rip of a band-aid."

Aidan dropped his arms. "More hair than you, Brooke. We've had this discussion. It's the only time my manly exterior falters. We've discussed this." He gently punched her shoulder. "You're tougher than me…always have been. It's going to work out…okay? I promise."

He sighed, looking back at her luggage. "Ready, kiddo?"

Brooke nodded, her heart thundering in her ears.

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Brooke climbed the steps towards the Prefect's lounge, the password she had weaseled out of Katie fresh in her mind. Looking like she'd been hit by a train really did wonders for her when she wanted something.

Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had been waiting for her at the train station. They thought it best that she avoid a scene and let her arrive at Hogwarts on a separate train. She was able to get settled into her room before everyone else and only had to get the gasps of shock and horror from her dorm mates. At least until tomorrow. Or, rather, at least until she walked into the Prefect's lounge. McGonagall had insisted she see Madame Pomfrey first thing, but Brooke had brushed her off with a promise to see the nurse the next day, claiming that she only wanted to sleep. But first, there was something she needed to take care of. And that something had her more terrified than she'd ever been tied to that chair.

Susan Bones had once again been helpful, her eyes wide when Brooke came face to face with her in the hallway. Her eyes had understood, and she had told Brooke where to find Cedric, knowing he would be studying by himself in the lounge, as he always did at the beginning of the quarter.

Now Brooke stood outside the door that would lead to Cedric, and she felt her heart beat quicken in fear. Would he even want to see her? Would he just throw her out?

Would he even love her anymore?

She raised a shaking fist, stopping it a centimeter from the door. Had Cho told him how she felt? What if he had moved on? The thought sent a tremor of pain through her chest. What would she do? She couldn't move on, not now. Not without him. But if he didn't want her anymore, what could she do? She had to tell him. She had to find out.

Releasing a shaky sigh, she rapped quickly three times on the old oak door. His voice bidding her enter, even muffled, set her heart thumping painfully. It had been so long since she'd heard it. She turned the ancient door handle and pushed her way inside.

A fire burned in the hearth, the flames sending shadows dancing across the walls. No books lay open on the grand table before the hearth, no papers lay scattered.

Cedric was sitting on the couch, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. Brooke's heart clenched at the sight of him. His familiar brown hair was disheveled, as if he'd been running his hand through it endlessly. His shoulders—enclosed in his familiar Oxford—were tense, as if he hadn't relaxed them in a month. She was suddenly glad he hadn't yet looked up at her, because she couldn't will the tears not to come.

They came. They slipped down her cheeks without fail, and she knew that nothing could stop them now.

With a sigh, Cedric raised his head slowly, his face becoming a mask of friendliness as he looked to greet whoever had entered. When his eyes found her, his face froze in shock. She watched brokenly as the shock slowly turned to surprise, then anger. She realized when he had seen her beaten face because his own expression turned to one of horror. In a second he was on his feet. "Brooke," he said, striding towards her, arms outstretched. He stopped a foot from her, as if he remembered her last words to him. He dropped his arms, but kept his eyes on her face, that same horrific expression in place.

Brooke couldn't stop the sob that escaped her lips as he stood before her. The face she had so longed for all winter was now before her eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to collapse into his arms. But she saw in his eyes the wariness; the pain.

He still believed that she didn't love him.

"Cedric, I'm so sorry," she sobbed. When his hand reached out involuntarily, she couldn't stop herself. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her own around his back tightly. She sobbed even louder when she felt his arms wrap around her too. "I'm so sorry." She pulled back, staring up into his shocked face. "I lied to you, Cedric, I told the most horrible lie in the world, and I've been living with that for the past month and I can't do it anymore."

He frowned down at her, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I love you," she sobbed.

His eyes widened at her words, and she felt his hands come up to cradle her face.

"I love you so much…but I was scared. I was scared to hurt Cho and I was scared…to get my heart broken. The thought that something could happen and you would leave or I would so something and…this…would all be over. I couldn't stand it. I didn't want to feel that kind of hurt so…I lied to you. I lied to protect my heart, but it ended up broken anyway. And it was so much worse because I knew that I'd hurt you too, and I never wanted that. I was so stupid, Cedric, and… I understand if it's too late or if you hate me so much that you can't ever forgive me. But I couldn't go on living this lie and having you believe that I didn't love you. I had to let you know—."

Cedric's lips cut her off when they captured her own, and she sobbed brokenly as her hands reached up, entangling themselves in his hair. His lips were urgent against her own, claiming, and she crushed herself to him, ignoring the pain that ran through her body as she did. She didn't care that she hurt—she only cared about Cedric. And he was here. Now. It wasn't a dream. He was here, and he was holding her close, and it was she could ask for.

He broke away from her, pressing his forehead to her own and grasping her face in his hands. "NEVER do that again," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of fury.

Brooke nodded against his hands, a quiet sob escaping her throat. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Cedric only kissed her softly, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, wiping away her tears. They stood like that for a long moment, simply holding each other; relishing in the others' presence.

Brooke's whole body screamed at her to stop, but she ignored the pain from her wounds. Because for the first time in over a month, she felt whole.

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Whew…that chapter took forever to write! I just couldn't get it to sound the way I wanted! I'm still not so sure I like the ending to this one….don't worry, Brooke tells us her tale of Ethan Sawyer in the next chapter; this one was merely their reconciliation—we get more into it next chapter as well!! Please review—the next one is on the way!


	9. Nightmares

Once

Once

A.N. Okay…so let's say that there was an assassin holding me hostage and he threatened to destroy the Twilight movie if I updated my story….or we could just admit that Alex is lame and a loser. Personally, I like the first one better. Lol

I'm sorry for the late update!! As I said…lame and loser.

A.N. 2: So this chapter is mainly starting as a flashback, in which we meet Ethan Sawyer and his obsession and just how evil he is…don't panic…Cedric is in the chapter!!

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_**Christmas Evening**_

_"You sure you don't want me to get Montoya to cover for me? It's Christmas after all, and I don't see you very often."_

_Brooke looked at her older brother from her spot on the couch._

_Aidan leaned against the kitchen door jam, all 6'7" towering in the hallway. His dark brown hair was spiked now, different and shorter from the summer, and his face held the evidence of a 6 o'clock shadow. His firearm was snugly fit into his shoulder holster, and his plainclothes uniform was slightly wrinkled. His face—so much older than his 30 years, thanks to years on the police force—held a look of concern._

_For the millionth time since arriving home, she plastered a smile onto her face. "And force Romeo to give up a romantic evening with What's-Her-Name-New-Boobs? Thanks, but I'd rather dodge that bullet if I could. Frank and his floozies."_

_Aidan's face held a look of mock-scolding. "He doesn't date floozies, Brooke." A wise-cracking grin appeared on his face. "They're bimbos."_

_Brooke chuckled and shook her head. Frank Montoya was Aidan's partner and best friend. He'd been there to watch Brooke grow up, and she had come to think of him as a surrogate brother. He even used to smuggle her cake and chocolate when she was in trouble. Of course, Aidan didn't exactly know that. He always liked to think she had become remorseful of whatever trouble she had gotten into, but the truth was, she was always just suffering from a chocolate hangover._

_Frank's taste in "loose" women was a constant source of jokes between the three of them._

_She shook her head once more before returning her gaze to her brother. Under his easy smile, that look of concern was still in place. Something in Brooke faltered, and she feared that she hadn't been fooling him at all._

_The moment she had departed from Hogwarts for the holiday season, Brooke had promised herself that she wouldn't worry Aidan with her broken heart or the fact that she cried herself to sleep. She'd told herself that she wouldn't let Cedric Diggory enter her thoughts and that she would just be Brooke. But since she'd spotted her brother in the crowd and felt his massive arms envelope her in a familiar bear hug, she'd fought the urge to tell Aidan everything. To hear him say that it would be alright and her heart would mend._

_But she'd kept silent._

_"I'm just worried about you, Brooke," Aidan said, drawing back her attention._

_She smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine," she insisted._

_"You're not fine, don't give me that," he said, pushing away from the door jam and walking towards her. He took a seat on the edge of the couch. "Something is wrong, and for some reason, you won't tell me. But it's obvious, Brooke. I've been watching you for the last two weeks. You smile and laugh and try to pretend that everything's alright. And I start to believe you. Then, for a split second, something just…falters. And I am so terrified that you're going to fall apart. But then I blink, and you're Brooke again. If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd think I'd imagined it." He stared at her, and Brooke forced her gaze to stay on her lap. "Why won't you talk to me, Bumble B? I can't help you unless you tell me what the problem is."_

_The use of his nickname for her had tears stinging the back of her eyes, and she held her lips together tightly. No, she hadn't fooled Aidan Stokes at all._

_She slowly raised her eyes to meet his identical ones. Concern clouded them. **Just tell him, **she thought. **My heart's broken. I can't breathe. Help me.** Instead, she cracked a half-smile._

_"The problem," she said, "is that you're a paranoid homicide detective who's been playing single-parent to his little sister for too long." She shook her head. "You ARE imagining things, Aidan. I really am fine."_

_Aidan stared at her, and she wondered if he saw her façade faltering now._

_"Now, go. Catch me a bad guy."_

_Her bear of a brother sighed, running a hand down his face. "No rest for the wicked," he muttered, rising to his feet. He ruffled her hair as he walked to the door, grabbing his jacket from the chair. Shrugging his arms into the sleeves, he turned to her. "Brooke…you know I'm here to talk. Always." She hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Set the alarm behind me." He winked at her as he closed the door behind him, and Brooke rose to her socked feet. She made her way to the door, throwing the lock as she watched Aidan climb into his SUV. She turned to the keypad and punched in the 4-digit code that had been drilled into her head since she was ten. The lights on the keypad flashed and beeped 3 times before emitting a short beep that indicated the house was now secure._

_Brooke braced her hands against the wall, tears burning her eyes. Would this ever stop? This hollow ache in her heart? Would it ever fade? Sighing she ran a hand through her hair, making her way across the living room towards the kitchen. The sudden need to eat her weight in ice cream was overwhelming, and she recalled a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer._

_As she passed the large mirror on the wall, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on its end as a reflection flashed in its glass. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream, but a foul smelling cloth cut it off. Strong arms wrapped around her, pressing against her chest and mouth. She reached up, struggling, her nails digging into the arms of her captor. But against her will, she inhaled the fumes that soaked the cloth, and she felt her eyelids begin to feel heavy. Her arms slowly stopped struggling, sliding until they hung limply at her sides. A rough hand slowly caressed her cheek as she darkness surrounded her, and all too quickly, she succumbed to it._

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_Soft, jazz-like music pulsed in her ears, and Brooke fought like hell to open her eyes. Her mouth felt cottony, and a bitter taste assaulted her taste buds. Her body felt heavy, and she struggled to raise her arms, move her legs, but wouldn't. With every movement, they jerked against something, and it was in that moment she realized that it was rope._

_She was tied to a chair._

_Panic overtook her then, and she struggled against her bondages, her breathing fast and terrified._

_"Sleeping Beauty awakes…."_

_Brooke froze at the sound of the voice. HIS voice. The voice she hoped to never hear again._

_Her eyes snapped open, and she gazed up at the smirking face of Ethan Sawyer. A terrified sob lodged in her throat, and tears of fear welled in her eyes._

_He was leaning against an old computer desk, arms crossed over his chest. He wore a black suit, the tie hanging loosely around his neck. His blonde hair was gelled but disheveled, and his eyes…_

_His eyes stared at her. Cold. Calculating. Obsessed._

_"Beautiful Brooke," he said, shaking his head. "I've missed you. It's been hell these past few years, not seeing you. Only having my pictures to get me through; to remind me of your face. Not that I'd ever forget but…" His lips twitched. "You can't imagine my torture."_

_Brooke shook her head, tears spilling over her cheeks. **This isn't happening,** she thought. **You're not here. This is a dream**._

_Looking around quickly, she took in her surroundings, and realized with a jolt that she was in the cellar of her brother's house. Multicolored Christmas lights were draped all over the ceiling and walls. A stereo sat on the computer desk. The wall behind Ethan was plastered with her face—pictures of her smiling, walking down the street, getting the morning mail after a jog._

_Her skin crawled. He'd been watching her._

_Ethan cocked his head to the side. "No hello? Aren't you glad to see me?"_

_Brooke stared at him in panicked fury._

_He clucked his tongue. "You're behavior is appalling, Brooke. I thought that the time apart…I thought you'd finally see the truth. That we belong together. But…seeing you now, I know that you need some convincing." He pushed away from the desk and walked towards her, and Brooke felt her pulse quicken. "I so want you to just…agree. Of your own accord." He crouched in front of her, raising a hand and pushing her bangs out of her eyes. She flinched away from his touch, and saw the anger flash in his eyes. "But you won't."_

_The blow came suddenly, and Brooke cried out as her face twisted against the force. She tasted blood, and felt her panic mingle with anger. Her tongue traced her split lip as she turned her head to glare at him defiantly. The blow came again, his fist knocking her face to the other side. Her vision swam as he sighed. "Brooke, Brooke, Brooke…." He crouched down in front of her, grabbing her chin in his hands and forcing her to look at him. "Why can't you just get it?"_

_He turned from her suddenly, striding to the computer desk and bracing his hands against its surface. Brooke struggled against her restraints, heart racing as she stared at Ethan's back. His shoulders were tense, almost shaking with his fury, and she struggled even harder, trying to remember the self-defense tricks Aidan had taught her. She concentrated hard on how to hold her wrists, close enough together that she could wiggle the rope loose. The rope sagged a bit, and she froze, her eyes darting to the figure in front of her. He was calming himself, but his shoulders remained tense. She steadied her breathing as she squeezed one hand further underneath the rope, her fingers grazing her back pocket. She strained harder until she could slip her fingers into the pocket. Her heart raced as her hand closed around her razor thin cell phone and slowly pulled it out until both hands could firmly hold it._

_She flipped it open silently, and could only pray that it was still on vibrate. Her thumbs traced over the worn keypad, and she held her breath as she held down the button that would immediately speed dial her to Aidan's cell phone. She heard nothing, holding her finger over the speaker as her heartbeat thundered in her ears. **Please let this work,** she prayed, hoping that the reception would go through._

_She snapped her gaze up when Ethan turned, staring at her. She willed herself not to shake in fear, and held his gaze with defiance._

_Ethan sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't like hurting you, Brooke. But you have to see."_

_Brooke felt a slight vibration against the thumb that covered the speaker, and she felt her heart leap in hope. Aidan was on the other line. She drew a shaky breath. "See what?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why are you doing this, Ethan?"_

_Ethan stared at her, a smile slowly creeping up across his face. "What we could be, Brooke. What we SHOULD be. Don't you get it? From that first moment I saw you at the community center…the way you were so kind, so beautiful. I knew…I knew that you were meant to be mine." He walked towards her and Brooke shut the cell phone with a quiet snap. His eyes narrowed at the sound, and he reached behind her, wrestling the phone out of her grasp. He gritted his teeth as he threw the phone to the side. "Why are you making this difficult? Why can't you just let it be us, Brooke?" He slugged her again, yelling in anger._

_"Because you're psychotic," she screamed, angry, frightened tears streaking her cheeks. "Because you imagine things when they aren't there. You get off on hurting a girl when all she did was be nice to you out of pity."_

_"Shut up," Ethan whispered, voice trembling in anger._

_"You just...are absolutely insane, Ethan. And go ahead. Beat me. Cut me. Kill me. Do whatever the hell you want to do, but you've got to face the fact that the only feelings that I have for you are repulse and pity."_

_His fist hit her in the side then, and she cried out, doubling over against her bonds. He hit her again, again, and again, until she saw black spots dance before her eyes. Her body screamed and she slumped forward as he stomped to the desk again, trying to catch her breathe through the pain._

_"Beat you, kill you," he was muttering. "All in good time. Now cutting you?" He laughed, and Brooke felt a chill go up her spine. She raised her eyes, already beginning to swell from the bruises, and saw him turn, holding something shiny in his hands. A sob escaped her lips as she recognized the butcher knife Aidan used for steaks. "Cutting you…sounds like it might just be the solution to the whole problem."_

_Brooke sobbed again, struggling against her restraints. As he walked towards her, she opened her mouth and screamed. _

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Brooke jerked awake, the scream that threatened to escape her lips lodging in her throat instead. A hand caressed her back suddenly, and she jumped.

"Brooke," a voice said softly, calmly, and she opened her eyes to look up into Cedric's face. He sat next to her bed in the hospital wing, his chin resting against her pillow. His hand was pressed against the side of her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek, careful of the healing ointment Madame Pomfrey had spread over her cuts and bruises. He cracked her favorite crooked smile, leaning closer towards her. "You're alright…it was just a nightmare."

Brooke stared at him for a moment. "Why did you let me sleep?"

"Because you were exhausted."

"Cedric, I asked you to make sure I didn't fall asleep."

Cedric laughed. "And then I would have been forced to experience the wrath of Madame Pomfrey. She insists that you need rest."

Brooke sighed, raising her hand to enclose it in Cedric's. "You're still here," she whispered. He frowned at her. "I was so afraid I'd wake up and you'd be gone. Changed your mind or just decided to leave."

Cedric shook his head, leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. "Not in a million years, Stokes," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. He saw her smile softly, and he returned it before pulling back slightly. "I'm in this for the long run."

Brooke smiled. "Good…I'll hold you to it."

Silence settled between them for a long moment, and Brooke looked up when Cedric's finger traced her cheekbone. "Will you tell me about him?," he asked, and Brooke stared at him, already knowing who he meant.

She'd been hysterical after he forgave her for the horrendous lie that had sentenced them both to a miserable month and half, and when he inquired about her battered state, she became even more hysterical, and could only struggle out Ethan's name and the words "nightmare" and "attack" before Cedric shushed her, rushing her to Madame Pomfrey. She didn't remember much after that, except for the sagely woman nursing over her and holding onto Cedric's hand with all her might, making him promise that he wouldn't leave her side.

She swallowed, staring at up at him. "What do you want to know?"

Rage welled in Cedric's eyes, and Brooke gave his fingers a squeeze. "Who was he? How did he…why did he do this to you?"

Brooke shrugged. "He was a worker from the community center in my hometown. I volunteered there a few years ago, just helping some of the older people out. I saw him once, maybe twice the whole time I was there. I guess that's all it took for him to make up this…deluded reality, I think is what the doctor called it. He stalked me for a while. Sending notes, leaving messages. He got pretty scary there, for awhile. But when we got the authorities involved, he disappeared. Up until a few months ago, he stayed gone."

Cedric nodded. "He was the one you're brother wrote to tell you about."

Brooke nodded. "Yeah…he somehow slipped through the cracks and made his way back. He got into the house somehow…I don't know how long he was there…." Her skin crawled at the thought that he could have been waiting it out in the cellar, the one room of the two story house that she and Aidan never used. "He waited till Aidan left and just…got me. He was convinced that if he could just talk to me, he could get me to believe that we belonged together. When I didn't listen…well…" She smiled sadly and waved a hand dramatically at her beaten form. Cedric's face contorted in fury and Brooke shook her head. "Please, Ced…don't…"

"I should have been there with you, Brooke," he said softly. "I should have protected you."

"Cedric, you couldn't have done anything. Ethan Sawyer is smart. If Aidan didn't leave when he did…" Her voice trailed off. "You couldn't have done anything Cedric. You didn't even know." She smiled her sad smile again. "My lie did its job."

Cedric closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers once more. "Deep down, I think I knew you were lying," he whispered. "But seeing your face and…hearing you say it…it broke me. After being home, all I could think was that if I could just see you…if I could just talk to you….I was very close to hopping a plane and tracking you down."

Brooke looked at him. "I wouldn't have stood a chance, you know…if you had gone through with it. It was taking everything in me to put on a strong face for Aidan, but if you had shown up on my doorstep, my weeks of hard work would have gone straight down the drain." Her fingers twisted into his hair as she searched his face. "Why didn't you?"

He smiled. "Because I'm a lousy coward."

Brooke laughed softly, pressing her lips softly against his. "No…you're my hero. The thought of you…it was the only thing that kept me going while he…well…while it was all happening. All I could do was just think, 'if I can just make it through, I can tell him.' I couldn't imagine…leaving you like that. Leaving you at all."

Cedric kissed her again, gently cradling her face in his hands. "Then let's never leave each other, Brooke. Does that work for you?"

She smiled, nodding against his lips. "Yeah…that works for me just fine."

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Ok…so…I'm not so sure I really like this chapter…I think it left a lot unsaid…but I don't really want to rewrite it, because then I'll have to wait to post the next couple chapters…which would then result in my death by sporks by Beenie's hand. So yeah…I'm gonna leave it like this…and let me know what y'all think…because I am now off the write the next chapter!


	10. Surprises

Once

Once

Author's Notes: Holy crow…this is seriously the fastest update I've done in forever!! Ahh! I'm so excited! Of course, that could also be from watching the Twilight sneak peek on the Penelope DVD for the fourth time….or flipping through Entertainment Weekly and just staring at Robert Pattinson on the cover…with his shirt open….huh…

Whoops…sorry. Off track! Hehe. Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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_Brooke smiled as a pair of familiar arms encircled her waist, pulling her against a hard chest. She sighed, running her fingers along Cedric's knuckles, his wrists, his arms. She closed her eyes, leaning into his sweet embrace, and let herself breathe in his scent._

_But his scent wasn't right._

_In fact, it was all wrong. Gone was the wonderful aroma of soap and cologne, mixed with his natural scent that she so loved to breathe in. Instead, all that surrounded him was a different aroma. A sickly smell._

_It was then that she noticed his arms were different, too. They were too thin; too lanky—not Cedric's fit, toned arms. And their grip on her waist was much too tight…_

_She opened her eyes and started across the room, into the reflection cast off the mirror. Tears of fear welled in her eyes when she saw that instead of Cedric—her loving, kind-hearted Cedric—Ethan Sawyer stood behind her, arms tight around her waist._

_"Let go!" she yelled, ripping away from his arms, her blood cold as ice. She searched frantically for a weapon, anything that could be used against him, but the room was dark, devoid of anything but herself and the madman behind her. She whimpered and bolted for the door, but suddenly he was on her. Holding her fast, one hand reached toward her face, and she noticed the handkerchief, saw that he intended to gag her with it. She kicked and screamed, clawing at him, but he was too big and easily overpowered her, pushing the cloth into her face._

_She couldn't breathe._

_That smell—that sweet, sickly smell—the smell of ether filled her nostrils and burned down her throat. Her eyes watered—the smell was too much. She couldn't breathe._

_She tried to scream, but only succeeded in inhaling more of the drug. Blackness pulled at the edges of her consciousness and she clawed at his face again, her fingers barely raking his cheek as the darkness came and went. He laughed low in her ear, pressing her closer._

_Her arms and legs felt heavy, her eyes unable to stay open, and she felt the fight leave her._

_She heard him laugh and from the corner of her eye she saw a flash of light, shining off the butcher knife in his hand…_

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Brooke jerked awake, blinking rapidly as the light from the windows caught her eyes. A shaky sigh of relief escaped her lips as she realized it was just a dream.

An arm snaked itself around her waist, and she jumped, shoving at it with her own. Another arm caught her writhing hands, capturing it to her body, as a pair of lips pressed themselves against her ear.

"Sshh, Brooke, calm down."

Cedric's voice quieted her panic, and she felt herself relax against him, sighing as his lips grazed her temple. She remembered now—they were in the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain's office, lying together on the cot they'd first made love on so many months ago. She'd been released from the hospital wing weeks ago with a clean bill of health, the only testimony to her violent ordeal being very faint scars on her arms, which no one would ever notice unless they knew to look close enough.

Cedric hadn't left her side since her admission to him her first night back at Hogwarts. His hand always enveloped her own, holding it tightly. Almost as if he were afraid to let it go.

She leaned into him now, silently rejoicing when she breathed him in. He smelled like Cedric.

"When will these nightmares end?" she whispered into his neck. He pulled her closer, kissing her hair softly. "They're so real inside my head…I'm just waiting for him to pop out of a dark corner."

"He won't, Brooke," Cedric reassured. "You're a thousand miles away. And you're with me." His lips found hers in a gentle kiss. "I would never let him touch you."

As his lips continued to caress her own, Brooke felt the tension drain from her body, and she let him pull her back down to the mattress, holding her close to his chest. He entwined their fingers, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing it softly. They lied there for several minutes, content to just be next to each other, listening to the even sounds of their breathing. Brooke barely moved when Cedric's voice cut through the silence.

"I saw Cho this morning," he was saying.

"And?" Brooke asked.

She felt him shrug. "She didn't glare or throw anything at me. Suppose that's a good thing."

Brooke nodded against his chest. She had nearly had a panic attack when Cedric told her he'd broken things off with Cho over Christmas break. When he'd seen her eyes widen in panic, he'd calmed her, saying that he'd made no mention of their affair—her name had not even been mentioned.

Cho had asked if they could talk together, and she'd flat out asked how he felt about her. When he'd merely stared at her, brain searching for a reply, she'd been heartbroken, but smiled. She'd told him she thought she was falling in love with him, but she needed a straight truthful answer before she could fully let herself follow that emotion: Did he love her? Could he see a future for them?

"I thought about lying," he'd said at Brooke's bedside. "Saying that I did, just so we could give it a chance. Just so I could forget you for awhile. But I couldn't…I couldn't do that to her. To us."

And so he'd told her the truth—no, there was no romantic future for them. That he was sorry; that he hoped she could understand and forgive him. Cho had cried, nodding silently to herself. She'd left after pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, wishing him the best.

"She asked about you," he said now, his thumb caressing patterns on her arm.

Brooke smiled sadly. "Did she snarl my name?"

He chuckled. "No…she wanted to know how you were getting along. And she wanted to let me know that she was happy…for us."

Brooke looked up at him. "Huh?"

Cedric's grey eyes searched her face as he nodded. "She said she noticed the change in me—and in you." Her eyes questioned him. "She didn't elaborate. She just told me that you seemed sad or lost every time she spoke to you…she's glad to see you happy."

Brooke stared at him a moment before nodding, biting her lower lip.

"Brooke," he scolded, tracing her cheek with his thumb. "We talked about you and your guilt."

A grin appeared on her face, and she poked him in the chest. "Yeah, and I told you, Goldenboy, that it comes with the package." She cocked her eyebrow when he rolled his eyes, then giggled softly when he captured her lips in his own.

"I think I'll take the whole package, Stokes," he whispered against her lips, holding her close. "Guilt included…I wouldn't have it any other way."

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"What is going on with you and Cedric Diggory?"

Brooke looked over at Hermione Granger, surprise etched on her face. She was following the line of students towards Hogsmeade, the local wizard village that served as a weekend destination at Hogwarts. She'd been lost in thought, reminiscing, when the Gryffindor caught her hand and matched her step.

"What?"

Hermione smiled. "I know you two are together, Brooke. It's not exactly a secret, the way you two drape over each other in the hallways. But I haven't really talked to you much since your…well…since your…er…" Her face became conflicted as she searched for an acceptable word, looking at her apologetically.

"Incident?" Brooke asked, laughing.

Hermione smiled. "Yes. So…"

"So what?"

"Brooke," Hermione exclaimed. They laughed as they continued to walk together. "Tell me how it happened! I just remember the two of you beginning to talk to each other."

Brooke shrugged. "I don't know, it wasn't planned or anything. I tried to fight it actually but I guess it's not really something you have any control over." She shook her head, smiling. "I just…really love him."

Hermione smiled. "I'm glad…it's good to see you so happy. It's clearly obvious that he's just as mad about you but I do have to ask…I mean, I'm just curious about what you plan to do…next year."

Brooke stared at her for a moment, not comprehending her question. Then it registered, and the smile slipped from her face:

Graduation.

Cedric would be leaving this year.

She'd known, of course, but things had been going so well lately, it had slipped her mind. Now that she remembered, she felt panic closing in, and a strange ache in her chest. Hermione saw her expression change, and the bushy haired girl quickly reassured her. "I'm not saying that anything horrible is going to happen, Brooke," she said, grasping her hand tightly. "Just seeing you two together, I know that. I just meant that I was wondering how you were doing with the whole situation."

Brooke shook her head, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "No, no, it's okay," she said. "I just…I didn't realize it was coming up so soon. We haven't really talked about it." She frowned, looking over at her friend and shrugging. "Now that I think about it, it hurts. The thought that he won't be here…"

Hermione patted her hand, smiling. "Brooke, relax. I didn't bring it up to cause a panic. You can't honestly believe that the two of you won't work something out. It's preposterous." She shoved Brooke's shoulder playfully. "Brooke, it'll be fine. Relax. And stop worrying your lip!" She grinned suddenly, leaning in close. "Wait to find Cedric and let him do it for you."

They stood staring at each other for a second before they burst into laughter, rejoining the group.

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"I still can't believe you're snogging my tutor," Oliver Wood said as he walked next to Cedric. "There should be a rule prohibiting that."

Cedric grinned over at his friend as they followed the crowd towards Hogsmeade. "You're just angry that you didn't make your move when you had the chance," he joked.

Oliver laughed, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. "No. I honestly can't picture myself with her now, not after seeing the two of you together. I think you've ruined every lad's dream, you know, doing this."

Cedric smiled, realizing very quickly that ruining anyone's fantasy of Brooke didn't bother him at all.

"She's a catch, though…not a lot of 'em like Brooke Stokes in the world nowadays," Wood continued, his tone serious. "I don't think I have to tell you to take good care of her, mate, but I'll mention it anyway. She's got something special…Brooke does. And it'd hate to have to kick your sorry arse for making it disapper."

Cedric regarded his friend very closely, finally seeing for the first time just how much Oliver Wood cared for Brooke Stokes. Not in the way that he himself did, but in a different way. He admired her. Respected her. And Cedric had no doubt in his mind that he would carry out his threat.

"You don't have to worry about that Wood. I'd die first." Wood nodded, sighing, and Cedric grinned. "As if you could even kick my arse, Wood."

Oliver's grin was genuine, and his eyes laughed. "I would bloody well wipe the floor with you, Ced, but our argument will have to wait." He motioned towards the front of the crowd, where Brooke's back was easily recognizable next to Hermione Granger. "I've watched that backside walk away so many times, I could pick it out from a crowd." Wood laughed as he dodged Cedric's fist, waving a hand in farewell as he walked off.

Cedric glared after him, shaking his head s he quickened his pace to catch up with Brooke. From the corner of her eye, Hermione spotted him, and with a smile and a squeeze of her hand, she left Brooke's side as he reached it. His arms caught her waist, spinning her around until she faced him. Her gasp of surprise made him grin, and he crushed his lips to her own, his arms pulling her flush against him.

Loud wolf whistles assaulted their ears, and they broke apart, smiling, and turned to see Oliver Wood and the Weasley twins hooting at them.

Brooke laughed, and Cedric grabbed her hand, pulling her into the streets of Hogsmeade and away from their laughing audience. He shook his head as he chuckled. "You certainly put on a show back there," he said, grinning down at her.

"Me? You started it, you big ham."

He laughed, stopping in front of Zonko's to pull her to him again, kissing her gently. "And I'd gladly start it again," he murmured softly. "Time and time again." He looked down into her smiling face, and he noticed that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, frowning.

Brooke shook her head. "Nothing."

"Brooke…"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Hermione just…reminded me that it's your last year here."

Cedric's heart plummeted to his stomach. "Oh."

Brooke shrugged. "We haven't really talked about it…you know? What we're going to do."

"We aren't going to do anything, Brooke," he said, pressing his forehead to hers. "There's nothing to do. I mean, you can't honestly believe that after all the trouble it took to get you here, I'd throw it away simply because I'm not here?" He smiled. "You must be joking."

Brooke's troubled eyes met his. "But you won't be here, Ced. That's the thing. You won't be, but I will, and—."

"And I'll be here, every weekend…Right here in Hogsmeade, arms waiting to capture you and never let you go." He kissed her then, gently. "Time and distance is nothing after all we've been through, Stokes. I'll always be right here, and before you know it, we won't even have to wait five days. But me? I'm not going anywhere unless you're right there with me." His arms tightened around her waist as he finished his sentence.

Brooke smiled softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting his head closer. "I'll hold you to that, Goldenboy," she whispered, bringing their lips together.

At that moment, all her panic slipped away. Cedric's arms held her close—so close that Brooke could swear his heartbeat echoed in her ears. Or was that her own, thumping with the knowledge that she could never survive away from him? That she didn't want to even try. She wanted to stay with him forever.

Wrapped in Cedric's arms, Brooke felt safe and whole, all of her worries pushed to the furthest part of her mind.

"Well," a stern, hard voice said from behind them. "Hogsmeade visits certainly have changed since my time."

Brooke's eyes snapped open, and she broke away from Cedric at the sound of the voice. They turned, his face etched with confusion and curiosity, her with shock and recognition, both looking in question at the figure that stood behind them.

Brooke stared, open-mouthed, as her hands fell away from Cedric's shoulders.

"Mom?"

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Dun dun dun!! Please review!!


	11. Parental Intermission

**Once**

Author's Notes: Ok…so I have reached a whole new level of "lame loser." I admit. Literally 90 days since I've updated…I feel so friggin' ashamed. I'm so sorry!! Hopefully this chapter makes up for it.

P.S. Beenie!! I miss you!!

**Once**

**Chapter 11**

Cedric felt Brooke's arm slide limply from his shoulders as she stared in shock at her mother. He turned, leaving an arm wrapped snugly around her waist, and faced Melinda Stokes.

The resemblance to the girl at his side was uncanny. The same shade of dark brown hair was layered to her shoulders, encasing the same heart-shaped face. Critical brown eyes assessed the scene before her, zeroing in on his arm around Brooke's waist. Thin, stern lips were upturned in a smuggish smirk, and a perfectly shaped eyebrow was arched in question.

Her figure--not nearly as slender as her daughter's, but not quite plump--was encased in a navy blue pant suit, the coat unbuttoned to reveal a white v-neck shirt that clung to her curves.

She was attractive, but cold and hard.

She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, cold expression now fixed on them.

"Mom…what are you doing here?" Brooke asked, frowning.

Melinda smiled coldly. "You couldn't very well expect a mother to simply disregard the fact that her daughter was brutally attacked?" Her critical eyes slid to Cedric momentarily before coming back to her. "Glad to see that you're using your recovery time so…well," she mocked.

Cedric felt Brooke's body tense next to him, and he reassuringly squeezed her waist.

"I was attacked over a month ago, Mom."

Melinda nodded. "I'm aware, Brooke. That's why I'm here." she adjusted the bag on her shoulder. "There are some things we need to discuss. Leave your little distraction now, and come with me."

"Mom," Brooke admonished, but Cedric shook his head, murmuring her name. He stuck out his hand towards Melinda, crooked smile stretched across his face. "Mrs. Stokes, I'm Cedric Diggory. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The older woman stared at his outstretched hand as recognition clicked in her eyes, and she reluctantly shook it. "Amos' son, I presume?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She eyed him critically, then shrugged. "She could do worse, I suppose. Tell me you at least waited until she was somewhat recovered before you weaseled your way into a vulnerable girl's pants, Mr. Diggory."

"Mom!"

Cedric frowned, shaking his head. "Mrs. Stokes, I can assure you I'm not--"

"I'm sure you can, but I'm in no way interested. I'm here to talk to my daughter, not listen to mindless babble from testosterone-fueled nimrods. Now, Brooke, come on. We have things to discuss."

Brooke shook her head, outrage marring her face as she watched the scene unfold before her. She saw Cedric's shoulders stiffen at her mother's words, and the way her mother's eyes appraised him as if he were meaningless.

"Brooke," her mother said again.

Brooke glared at her mother, shaking her head. "No, I'm not coming," she said, reaching for Cedric's hand and pulling herself to his side. His fingers tightened against hers, holding her close.

The motion wasn't lost on her mother, who smirked and pushed a strand of windblown hair out of her face. "Don't be a spoiled brat," she laughed. "I'll be at Honeydukes, and I expect you there in a few moments." She shook her head at the obstinate expression on her daughter's face. "Brooke--"

"Mother."

Melinda sighed. "Say goodbye to the boy and come along."

And with a last withering glare at their entwined hands, Melinda Stokes turned on her heel and walked down the crowded sidewalk.

Brooke stared after her, fighting against the angry tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Releasing an angry, shaky sigh, she turned to the boy at her side.

Cedric's jaw was cocked to the side, his gray eyes staring after the woman's retreating form.

"Cedric…"

He turned to look at her then, and he cleared his throat. "Well, that was…enlightening. Does all of your mother's greetings make you feel…." He trailed off, searching for the right choice of words.

"Like you've just been kicked in your goodies?" Brooke asked wry fully. She smiled slightly when Cedric chuckled, running a hand through his tousled hair. "I'm sorry about her."

Cedric shook his head, softly caressing her cheek. "Don't worry about it, love," he said, smiling. "I always thought you were exaggerating. It appears you weren't." He sighed, searching Brooke's troubled eyes carefully. He hated the uncertainty he found in them. As if her mother could ever change the way he felt about her. He smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "You'd best get going. Wouldn't want to face your mother's wrath again." She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand. "I'll be right here waiting for you."

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Brooke sat down across the booth from her mother, arms folded tightly over her chest as Melinda settled herself into her seat. Her mother's dark eyes roamed across the establishment, cataloging and critiquing, before coming to rest on her daughter's face. She swiped at a stray hair against her cheek. "Is everything so juvenile here?"

"Considering most of everyone here IS juvenile, yes," Brooke said.

"What's with the tone, Brooke?"

Brooke laughed harshly, leaning forward against the table. "Are you serious?" she demanded. "You were unbelievably rude to Cedric, for one."

Melinda rolled her eyes, smoothing her hands over the tabletop. "Oh, for God's sake, Brooke. Is that what the problem is?"

"Mom, the things you said were outrageous. You insulted him--and the things that were you insinuating…"

"Insinuating? So it's not true then?," Melinda interjected. "The two of you haven't 'tangled in the sheets' or whatever it's referred to now?" Brooke's mouth opened and closed for a moment as she struggled for an answer before finally snapping it shut. Melinda smirked. "I thought so. At least it's someone with some kind of social standing, which is probably more than any of the others have been."

Brooke stiffened at her mother's insinuation, and her eyes narrowed. "There's only been Cedric," she stated firmly, furious her own mother would even think such a thing.

Melinda waved her statement away. "If you say so." Brooke opened her mouth to argue, but she quickly cut her off. "Now, the reason I'm here. I spoke to the prosecutor, and the trial will be starting within the month, which means we only have a few weeks to prepare your testimony. We'll need to find something suitable for you to wear--you need to look like a victim, not a harlot. And we'll need to--"

Brooke shook her head as her mother droned on. "I'm not testifying." She crossed her arms at the outraged glare she received. "I'm not. Aidan told me the evidence was overwhelming as it was, and that there was no need to relive it. The photos of me after the attack, the car that he stole…it's enough to convict him without bringing me into a courtroom." She shrugged. "Besides, I hardly look like a victim anymore," she said, gesturing to her face and arms.

It was a long moment before Melinda spoke again. "Aidan," she said, her voice laced with disdain. She had never been fond of her stepson, and the feelings were much the same on his end. "The boy doesn't know what he's talking about."

"The boy," Brooke said, "is my brother. And he's been doing this for a long time. He knows what he's doing."

"He doesn't know what's best for you."

"And you do?" Brooke braced her palms against the table, trying to keep her voice level and low. "Who decided to rush me to the hospital last year when my fever spiked to 104 and wouldn't go down? Who took me to dinner and a movie in another city when you and Dad were making life so miserable I couldn't take it? Who stitched me back up again--inside and out--over the holiday break? Not you. As I seem to recall, you were never there. Aidan was."

The smile on Melinda's face grew with every passing comment, until it was a cruel, mocking smile. "Things like that happen, Brooke. Children get sick, they get heartbroken. Parents fight. It happens everyday. Parental supervision wasn't needed. However, it's not everyday that a chance to really get your name out in the Wizarding community comes along,…no matter how horrible a situation it might come from. Who better to help you with that than your mother, who happens to spend everyday in the public eye everyday?"

Brooke stared at her mother, heart sinking deep into her stomach. So this was the reason….Melinda Stokes hadn't been worried sick about her daughter--wondering if all of her bones were set, if her scars were healed.

She'd been looking for a publicity stunt.

"Is that all I am to you?" Brooke whispered brokenly, fighting back the tears that welled behind her brown eyes.

Melinda smiled again, cocking her head to the side. "What? Of course not. You're my daughter'; I'm your mother. I'm just looking out for you future. The more the Ministry hears your name before you graduate, the better your chances of a guaranteed position in it is." She shrugged. "This is a perfect opportunity. They pay attention to the Muggle legal system and all that--not that they really understand it. But, honey, admit it. Your name certainly isn't ricocheting off the walls of Hogwarts."

Brooke stared down at the table, no longer able to fight the tears, but too afraid--or ashamed--to let her mother see her cry. Years of insults, of degrading comments, echoed through her head as she listened. Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not popular enough….

But enough for Cedric. Enough for Aidan.

_Enough for ME._

She set her jaw and raised her gaze to her mother face. Melinda was shuffling several papers from her bag, rambling about different defenses, different attitudes to show in court, the best ways to get the Ministry's attention. And Brooke finally realized that she would never have her mother's attention.

"No!"

Melinda's startled gaze shot to her daughter's face for a brief moment before glancing around Honeydukes, a faint blush covering her cheeks when she saw other people staring. She turned her gaze back to her daughter. "Brooke Sophia Stokes…lower your voice, and stop making a scene," she gritted through her teeth.

Brooke merely scoffed. "Why? I thought attention was what you wanted? For God's sake, Mom….will I ever be enough for you? Why can't you look at me--just once, really look at me--and see that I'm trying? I'm trying and I am succeeding. Maybe not the way you did--who could ever measure up to you, the Great Melinda? But I am making a name for myself here. Not in huge numbers--but in little ways that mean more than that. In the older classmate who I tutor because I happen to have a gift for charms. Or the heartbroken girl who just wants someone to talk to and just notice that she's standing there. Or in the boy who branched out and held something…so incredible….out to her, and would not give up, even when she pushed him as far away as she could.

"You once told me that I had a one in a million shot of making my mark in this world, Mom, if I decided to go my own way; to make my own decisions based on my own feelings, on my emotions. The one thing that made me 'weak.' Well guess what…I AM on in a million. And you do not control me anymore. Because I see now that it wasn't my fault. It was never my fault."

She laughed softly and gathered her coat in arms, shaking her head. She began to scoot out of the booth, but stopped to stare at her mother's hard face. "You know….do whatever you want. Get my name out there. Tell my story to the Ministry or anyone else who wants to hear it. Bask in the fame. But don't count on coming back to your daughter. From this second on….I'm not her." She stood up, slipping on her coat and flipping her hair over the collar. "Good-bye, Mother."

She walked away then, feeling the stares of the other patrons of Honeydukes, and yet knowing --without a doubt--that her mother's gaze was not one of them.

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The minute she stepped outside, releasing a pent up sigh, a warm pair of fingers found her hand and she smiled, letting herself be enveloped by Cedric's strong, protective arms. She felt his lips press a gentle kiss on her forehead, and she breathed in the scent from the crook of his neck.

"Are you all right?" he whispered, his fingers trailing her spine through her heavy coat. She nodded against his neck, pulling him closer. He chuckled against her hair. "You were absolutely breathtaking, Stokes…I didn't think you had that spunk in you. Remind me never to piss you off."

Brooke laughed and swatted his arm playfully, pulling back just enough to press her lips against his in a passionate kiss. THIS is what she was placed on the planet for--to love this man, and this man alone. To stand in this spot, wrapped in his embrace, and just feel well.

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"So, I have this idea."

Cedric laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Those are famous last words if I've ever heard them."

He ducked Brooke's half-hearted punch, and wrapped his arm around her waist, tucking her right under his shoulder as they walked through the courtyard.

It had been a month since Melinda Stokes had showed up in Hogsmeade. One month since Brooke had cut herself off from her mother entirely. One month since she'd heard nothing from the elder Stokes woman. And in that one month, Cedric had began to see Brooke blossom more than she ever had before. She walked as if carefree--no worry in the world. Her dimples--those two little dents that showed up in her cheeks when she grinned with all her heart--showed up more and more. Like right now, as she grinned up at him in anticipation. He smiled and pressed a kiss to one. "All right…what's this grand idea?"

Brooke shrugged. "Well…Easter break is coming up soon--which I feel is a pretty big deal, considering how well our last break turned out." She grimaced playfully. "Anyway…I remember you saying that your parents were going to visiting your aunt over Easter and that you weren't really sure what you were going to do for a week by yourself…So I sent a little letter to Aidan and…" She stopped, twirling to stand in front of him, hands clasped in front of her almost in prayer like fashion, that dopey grin plastered to her face.

"And?" Cedric asked, smiling, for he had a very good idea where this idea was going.

"And," Brooke continued. "He agreed that it would be a great idea for the Golden Boy of Hogwarts--who just happens to be dating his favorite and only baby sister--to join us for Easter. Of course, he insists on the whole separate bedroom thing, but he is actually a very heavy sleeper, and with a few muffle charms or something ingenious like that, we could very well get away with anything," she added, arching her eyebrow seductively.

Cedric laughed out loud, shaking his head. He pressed his forehead against hers and pulled her close. "Stokes, are you suggesting that I ravish you in the same house as your brother? Didn't you say he was a cop or something? And carries one of those awful gun things?"

Brooke waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, pish posh, he's just a big teddy bear," she said. "But yes, that is exactly what I'm suggesting." She shrugged. "Besides…Aidan has pretty much figured out just how serious we are, and he's insisting that he meet you before too long. He'd probably have hopped a plane out here eventually. I just beat him to the punch." She stared up at him, crooking her finger into the collar of his Oxford and smiling again. "So, what do you say, Golden Boy? You up to the challenge?"

Cedric smiled, kissing her softly. "If it involves a whole week with the most beautiful woman in the world by my side, I'm up for anything you can dish out, Stokes."

Brooke squealed a happy little squeal and jumped up and down for a long second, causing Cedric to laugh and wonder once again what stroke of luck had brought her to him. She smiled up at him. "This is so great! You are going to love Las Vegas, Ced, I promise! And you're going to love Aidan too…he'll probably pull the whole 'what-are-your-intentions' and 'what-makes-you-think-you're-good-enough' schmeel with you, but I promise that he will eventually warm up to you."

Cedric laughed softly and took her hand, letting her lead him onwards as she discussed her grand plans for Easter break. And with every crazy idea--which he doubted half of them would ever be completed--he couldn't help but think just how madly in love with this energetic American he actually was. And just how lucky he had gotten.

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Okay, so there wasn't enough Cedric in this chapter for my taste, so I went back and added that last little segment. So taa-daa! Finally an update!! Hopefully I haven't lost all of you in my absence (which I once again greatly apologize for!!) and I get a couple reviews….which would be amazing. In the meantime…I will get to work on the next chapter, and I hope to hear form you all soon!!


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